


Velocity

by On_The_Edge_of_Glory



Series: Apart of the Team [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2019-03-11 01:48:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 27,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13514223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/On_The_Edge_of_Glory/pseuds/On_The_Edge_of_Glory
Summary: Samuel Greyson, formally known as Matthew Wheeler grew up in a lab all his life. Until he managed to escape and meet Robert Queen. He changed his name to Samuel Greyson to hide his identity and live among the Queens. At the age of 22 Samuel and his adopted brother, Oliver got shipwrecked on an island for five years. Now they are back and no longer the same boys they were. Things have changed, Samuel has changed. Samuel now must save his city, while protecting the woman he has grown to love.





	1. Chapter 1

Samuel Greyson, formally known as Matthew Wheeler grew up in a lab all his life. His mother had just been a waitress at some small town diner when Matthew's father, Nikolai Wheeler, picked her up. He brought her to his underground bunker/lab and there he proceeded to rape her. He held her hostage until she gave birth to his son Matthew and when Matthew was old enough not to need his mother Nikolai had killed her. Matthew then proceeded to have needle after needle injected in him. He became a human lab rat, living in a bunker and surviving with nothing, but bread and water. It was only when he was ten years old that he managed to escape from the lab and his father.

Three years after escaping his father, Matthew met Robert Queen. Robert had taken a special interest in Matthew due to his own son being the same age. He took Matthew home, fed him, took care of him. He gained Matthew's trust and adopted him, renaming him Samuel Greyson in order to hide his past and hide him from his real father. Samuel never saw his real father again and he grew up with the Queens instead. At the age of 22, Samuel and Oliver went on a trip with their father on the boat, bringing along Oliver's girlfriend's sister, Sara. The ship crashed and Sara died along with Robert Queen and Samuel and Oliver were stranded on an island. Five years later they are found and now they are no longer the same boys but grown-up men. Men that will fix their father's mistakes and save their city.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A dark blur races across the forest, the tree branches swaying back from the wind speed. A man ran far behind the blur breathing heavily. The man had on rags for clothes, a hooded leather vest, a pair of ripped trousers, and his hair was all matted and long blonde. The man gripped a branch, swinging from it and on the ground. "Best keep up, Oliver." The blur up ahead yells back, causing the man to grunt and speed up. The man climbs up a rock, trying to see out below him. The blur suddenly stopped moving, causing another man to be revealed. Black matted hair, dark brown eyes, and dirt covered skin was shown. He too was in a pair of ripped trousers and a ripped shirt. "This is it, Oliver. This is where we make our escape." The man says. The two men look out at the sea before them where a ship is sailing. "You know what to do." The second man says as he becomes a blur once more as he runs faster than the speed of light.

The first man runs down the rocks going to an area where a bow and quiver of arrows are resting. He pushes his knife into the rock and picks up the bow and an arrow as the second man races to the beach. The first man lights his arrow and fires it on a pile of wood, which causes it to elight in a bonfire. The second man stops outside the tree line before walking in a normal speed towards the fire and towards the ship that is approaching the island. As the men from the ship come onto the island the first man reaches the second, both standing and waiting for the ship men to reach them.

The two men drop to their knees before the men and lifts their heads, the first pulling off his hood. These ship men rescue the men from the island and take them home. Home to Sterling City after five years.

~

Samuel and Oliver stand together in the hospital room, staring out at the new jungle, which is the city they are returning to. "20% of Oliver's body is scar tissue. Second degree burns on Oliver's back and arms. X-rays show at least 12 fractures that never properly healed. For Samuel he has 30% of his body in scar tissue, a bullet wound that never healed correctly on his chest and through to his back, burns all over his back, a burn on his left arm, he also looked to have been branded on his neck, a letter N. He had at least 7 fractures and 3 breaks that never healed properly. Samuel is in a lot worst of a condition than Oliver."

"Samuel's real father had been abusive. Many of those wounds were from before. It's in his medical record."

"Yes, we looked over them. It seems that all these wounds were from before he lived with you and your family. In fact Samuel almost seemed to have received no injury whatsoever from the island, which, when looking at Oliver, almost seems impossible."

"Has either of them said anything about what happened?"

"No, neither barely have said anything. Moira, I'd like you to prepare yourself. The Oliver and Samuel you lost might not be the Oliver and Samuel they found." Samuel glances at Oliver as he hears the doctor and Moira talking before hearing her footsteps and the sound of the door opening.

"Oliver, Samuel." The two men slowly turn to face the woman they call their mother. Both have been cleaned up since the island. Oliver had his hair buzzed now short and is dressed in a white shirt and blue sweats. Samuel had his hair cut and cleaned to what it used to be, to the back of his neck and combed back. He's dressed in grey sweat pants and a blue shirt.

"Mom." Oliver says, smiling at the woman.

"Mom." Samuel says in a quiet voice. He never calls Moira mom unless he's vulnerable or upset, sometimes both. Moira almost looses it when she hears Samuel say this, feeling tears already threatening to spill over.

"Oh." Moira says, fighting back the erg to shed her tears. "My beautiful boys." She says as she pulls both of them into her arms. Samuel closes his eyes, fighting back the emotion that is taken a hold of him, the emotion he never expected. He and Oliver both wrap an arm around their mother and hug her closely to them. Only once they are hugging down Moira let her tears shed. She kisses Oliver's temple and Samuel's cheek in the hug.

"We've missed you." Samuel whispers as he hugs her more tighter. "We've missed you so much, mom."

"Oh, I've missed you too Sammy and you too Ollie." She whispers. "I've missed you both so much."

~

Samuel watches as everything passes him by upon their ride to the Queen mansion. Only when they stop before the mansion does he pull his eyes away from the window and towards his mother and brother. "We're here." Moira smiles and getting out of the car once the driver opens the door for them. They all get out and Oliver and Samuel head to the back of the car where the driver goes to get their boxes out. "We've got it." Oliver says, placing a hand on the man and grabbing his box. Samuel nods to the man and grabs his own. Oliver has a dark green wooden box with brown leather handles, while Samuel has a black box with brown handles. Samuel grabs his box and walks with Oliver inside, meeting their mother by the door.

"Your rooms are exactly as you left them." Moira says as they walk into the mansion they grew up in. "I never had the heart to change a thing."

"Thank you, Moira." Samuel says quietly as he looks around their home.

"Oliver, Samuel, it's damn good to see you." Oliver and Samuel put their things down and glance at each other as a man walks towards them. "It's Walter..." He adds quietly upon seeing the confused faces. Oliver slowly shakes Walter's hand, still not understanding. Samuel eyes him over before shaking his hand too. "Walter Steele."

"You remember, Walter, your father's friend from the company." Moira says, putting her hands on the backs of Samuel and Oliver. Oliver doesn't say anything as he walks past him. "Right, Sam?" Samuel doesn't say anything either as he walks after Oliver.

"Raisa." Samuel smiles as Oliver smiles with him.

"It's good to see you, Raisa."

"Welcome home Mr. Oliver and Mr. Sam." She says before embracing Oliver then Samuel. "Mr. Merlyn phoned. He wants to join you for dinner." She tells Walter and Moira.

"Wonderful." Moira says as Samuel pulls out from his hug with the maid, Raisa. Oliver frowns as he hears the sound of a door opening. "Oliver?" Moira questions as Samuel looks towards the stairs. "Sammy? Did you hear that?" She asks as they walk to the base of the stairs.

"Hey, sis." Oliver says upon seeing his teenage sister standing on the stairs.

"Hey, Thea." Samuel says.

"I knew it. I knew you both were alive." She says as she hurries down the stairs and throws herself into Samuel's arms.

"Hey, Sissy." Samuel whispers, holding tightly onto her. "I missed you so much."

"Not anymore than I did." She whispers back, pulling from his arms and going to Oliver next. "I missed you so much too. Both of you." She says as she hugs Oliver.

"You were with me the whole time." Oliver says to her. "You were with both of us."

~

Samuel walks into his room, just finished with his shower and now ready to change. He frowns as he stands before his mirror. His fingers ghost over the bullet wound in the left of his chest. His fingers move to the burn that covers his left arm and then he turns his back to the mirror, showing his back that is covered with burns and scars from whips and belts. His arms are covered in old self inflicting cuts. He turns back to face the mirror and sighs as he looks into his eyes. "Just as broken as I remembered." He whispers before going to his closet. He pulls on a pair of black jeans and slips on a grey v neck before finally slipping on his black boots. He brushes his hair back, another sigh leaving him as he sees the scar on his forehead, just above his eyes, it's small, but holds great meaning.

He slips on his leather jacket next and heads out of the room. Samuel had these wounds since he was four. His father didn't just test him for the usual things. His father tried to make him into a super soldier. Samuel is faster than the speed of light, heals in a matter of milliseconds, he's strong too. He also has a very high metabolism and electricity has always been his forte. Samuel is more amazing than any other human and the only person alive who knows this is Oliver.

Samuel finds Oliver standing before the table by the door, looking at the photographs of him and his dad when he was only seven. Samuel picks up a photograph, causing Oliver to notice him and glance over, and he looks at it with a frown. The photo is of him when he was only 13, the week after getting officially adopted, and it shows Robert and Moira standing together, his arm around her. In front of Moira is Samuel and Oliver with little baby Thea, only three, on Samuel's shoulders, smiling down at her new big brother. "She was so happy when I got adopted. I remember her telling dad that it means she gets two big brothers that will do anything she asks and always protect her."

"Mom used to say it meant to help raise Thea because dad and I were always childish while you were always more grown up acting." Oliver says. "Dad used to say it meant to him that he got another little buddy to teach."

"I miss him." Samuel says, lifting his eyes and looking at Oliver. "I knew him the longest, it feels strange not having him here."

"I know."

"What did I tell you? Yachts suck." Samuel glances over and sees Tommy Merlyn standing there. Tommy had been Oliver's friend since the age of ten, but once Samuel entered the picture Tommy declared that Samuel was trying to steal Oliver from him. Tommy and Samuel never had a good relationship since then because Tommy didn't know how to share and often refused to when it came to his best friend, but Samuel had always been more grown up and often allowed Tommy to push him aside and take Oliver away.

"Tommy Merlyn." Oliver greets as he turns and faces him.

"I've missed you, buddy." Oliver looks at Samuel, who simply shrugs and heads into the kitchen, leaving the two to bond again.

~

When dinner arrived Oliver sat at the end of the table with Thea to his left and Tommy to his right. Samuel insisted that they sat like that because Samuel had been with the Oliver the longest and doesn't need to catch up with him, so he sat beside Thea instead, wanting to be close to her and make up for lost time. At the other end of the table is Moira with Walter to her right. "Okay, what else did you miss?" Tommy has been going on for almost an hour over everything Oliver and Samuel missed, but Samuel zoned him out pretty quickly. "Super bowl winners- Giants, Steelers, Saints, Packers, Giants again. A black president, that's new. Oh, and 'Lost' they were all dead... I think." Tommy smiles, obviously amused with himself.

"What was it like there?" Thea asks as Samuel glances up from the large amount of food he was eating, he always ate more than all of them combined, simply because of his high metabolism.

"Cold." Oliver answers as Samuel glances at Thea.

"A bit lonely." Samuel adds as he sips his wine.

"Tomorrow, you and me, we're doing the city." Tommy says to Oliver, Samuel feeling kind of third wheel once more. Things seem not to change that much. "You've got a lot to catch up on." Oliver glances at Samuel, who is pretending to be eating and blocking them out, but Oliver knows that's not the case.

"That sounds like a great idea." Moira says.

"Good. Then Sam and I were hoping to swing by the office." Oliver says. "Right, Sam?" Samuel slowly looks up as he feels the eyes of everyone.

"Uh, yes, Oliver and I wanted to see what it is like there now." He tells them. "See how the company has changed."

"Well, there's plenty of time for all that." Walter says, causing Samuel to give him a once over. "Queen consolidated isn't going anywhere." Raisa goes to put a bowl of fruit on the table when she trips, but Oliver catches her.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Mr. Oliver." She says. Oliver says something in Russian, causing them to glance at Oliver in surprise.

"Dude, you speak Russian?"

"I didn't realize you took Russian at college, Oliver." Walter says, causing Samuel to shoot him a look before turning to Walter.

"He didn't. I did. I learned it when I was living with my real father. I learned a lot of languages and I taught Oliver them while on the island. We didn't have that much to do there." Samuel half lies, the first part being real, the teaching Oliver part being the lie.

"I didn't realize you wanted to sleep with my mother, Walter." Samuel almost chokes as he hears Oliver's quick response. Samuel gives Oliver a look as the room becomes thick with tension.

"I didn't say anything." Thea says after a long tension filled moment.

"She didn't have to." Samuel sighs and leans back in his seat as he looks at Moira.

"Oliver... Walter and I are married, and I don't want either of you to think that either one of us did anything to disrespect your father." Moira says.

"We both believed that Robert, like you and Sam-

"Samuel." Samuel corrects.

"Like you and Samuel," Walter amends. "Was, uh, well, gone."

"It's fine." Oliver says and for a moment he just stares at his mother before standing. "May I be excused?" He asks, causing his mother to nod and him to grab one of the apples.

"Moira, can I-" She nods, not even needing to hear the rest of Samuel's sentence to know what he wanted. He stood and followed Oliver out.

"Hey, don't forget about tomorrow, buddy." Tommy says to Oliver, causing him to nod.

Oliver and Samuel walk out of the room and head for the stairs. "We knew their'd be changes." Samuel begins. "It's been five years."

"I know. I just never thought it'd be this different."

"Oliver, we can't be mad at Moira. She thought dad was gone and... And I'm sure she truly thought we all weren't coming back. She moved on." Oliver looks at Samuel and nods.

"I know. It's just hard to see it."

"I know." The two head up the stairs and to their rooms.

"Sammy?"

"Yeah, Ollie?"

"About my plans with Tommy-

"You go ahead, try and find a place for us. I'm going to go and see if I can't check out the company."

"You mean the tech room."

"I love computers, what can I say." Samuel shrugs with a smile.

"Get some sleep, Sam, it's been a long day."

"You too." Samuel walks into his room, changes for bed, and closes his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Samuel walks out of the house and gets into the company car. "Where are you heading to, Mr. Greyson?"

"The company." Samuel says, causing the man to nod as he drives out of the driveway and down the road to the company. Samuel rubs his arm as he tries not to think about everything that has happened over the sixteen years since escaping his real father's wrath. He takes a deep breath in and lets it out as they pull up to the company. "Thanks." He says as he goes to get out, but the driver stops him.

"Here's my card, call when you're ready to be picked up." Samuel nods as he takes it and heads out of the car and up the stairs to the company. Samuel heads inside and heads straight for the IT department. Samuel looks around as he sees all the changes and improvement on technology since the last time he's been around in civilization.

"Can I help you?" Samuel turns to see a blonde sitting at a desk. She has a tight white blouse on with a bright blue pencil skirt that matches her heels. She is a rather beautiful woman, but Samuel forces himself to ignore it. Being with women weren't that simple for him as Oliver. He has too many scars and they always asked too many questions after it is all over and he really hated questions.

"No, just checking out how much the department changed." Samuel says as he looks around at the room.

"When was the last time you've been here?"

"Five years ago." Samuel answers as he looks around. It is much brighter and cooler in here than before and Samuel likes it even more.

"Five years? That's a long time. Did you work here or..."

"Not technically, no." Samuel turns and looks at the blonde. "My adopted father owned the company."

"Your... wait," She looks suddenly very startled with this information. "You're-

"Samuel Greyson, son of Robert Queen, the only other survivor besides Oliver Queen who survived five years on an island. That sums it up, right?" She only manages to nod. "Yeah, I thought so." Samuel looks around the room once more. "I use to come here growing up. It used to be my favorite place. As a kid, the person who used to be in charge of this department used to let me play computer games in here all the time." Samuel smiles. "When I got older, the man started teaching me different things."

"Sounds like you had a good childhood." This made Samuel frown.

"Only after I was adopted." He turns and looks at the woman. "I never got your name."

"Right, sorry, Felicity Smoak."

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Felicity and I'm glad to see someone's taking care of this place. Maybe I'll see you around." Samuel says before heading back out.

Samuel calls the guy back and gets a ride back to the mansion only to see cop cars outside. "What have you done already, Oli." Samuel mumbles as he enters the house to hear people talking in the living room.

"Yeah. Well, they probably figured you'd pay a king's ransom to get your boy back or a queen's ransom, as it were." Samuel frowns as he enters the room.

"Moira?"

"Oh, Sam, we were so worried." Samuel raises an eyebrow as Moira stands up and hugs him.

"Uh, what's going on?"

"I'll explain later." Oliver tells him, causing Samuel to nod as he pulls out of Moira's arms and joins Oliver on the couch.

"As I was saying, after all, a parent would do anything to keep their child safe."

"I don't find your tone appropriate, dective." Moira says to Lance.

"If Oliver can think of anything else, he'll be in touch." Walter says as he stands up.  
"Thank you, gentlemen, for coming." Lance chuckles as Walter says this before grabbing his things. Oliver and Samuel stand as Lance does.

"Your luck never seems to run out, does it?" Lance says before heading out of the room.

Oliver and Samuel head upstairs to Oliver's room. "What happened, Oli?"

"Some men were hired to kidnap me in order to find out what happened on the yacht."

"And by hired you mean by the people who dad was working for."

"Yeah. I told the cops some guy in a hood and another who calls himself Velocity were the ones who saved Tommy and me."

"So it begins then." Samuel says as they sit down in front of Oliver's computer.

"Adam Hunt is our first business to attend to. He's on trial for laundering money. He's on the list."

"So we take care of him first then." Samuel says. "Seems easy enough." Samuel and Oliver look down at their father's book to see Adam Hunt's name written on it clearly.

"You are different. Not like you to read a book, Mr. Oliver." Raisa says as she walks into the room. Samuel minimizes the news article on the computer, while Oliver closes the book before she can read what's on it.

"I missed you, Raisa." Oliver smiles as he leans back in his chair.

"No kitchen on the island."

"No. No friends either." Samuel says. "Beside each other."

"Hey." Oliver smiles as he sees a plate of food in her hands. "Thank you." He tells her as he stands before her and takes the platter from her, placing it on the chest at the foot of his bed. "Do I really seem different?" Oliver asks as he turns and looks at her.

"No. You're still a good boy. You both are." Raisa smiles.

"Oh, I think we all know I wasn't." Oliver tells her.

"But a good heart."

"I hope so." Oliver smiles. "I want to be the person you always told me I could be."


	3. Chapter 3

"Let's head out and we can do some more on that case." Samuel tells Oliver as he grabs his leather jacket and heads out the door.

"Yeah."

"Oliver, Sam. I wanna introduce you to someone." Oliver and Samuel exchange a look before turning around and heading over to where their mother, Walter, and another man stand waiting. "John Diggle. He'll be accompanying you both from now on."

"Moira, we don't need a babysitter." Samuel says.

"Daling, Oliver's and Samuel are grown men. And if they don't feel they need armed protection--"

"You know, I understand, but this is something I need." Samuel sighs, already feeling guilty and bad for his mother. Oliver looks at Diggle, who stands tall and professional with his hands clasped.

"He looks like he has stick up his ass." Samuel whispers to Oliver, who bites back a grin. "I'm sure we could ditch him if we needed to." Oliver kicks Samuel in the leg, causing Samuel to bite back a groan.

"We'll take him along." Oliver says as Samuel forces a smile.

"Thank you." Moira says as she hugs them both.

"I hate you." Samuel mouths to Oliver who only grins in response.

The two climb into the backseat of the car as Diggle gets in the front. "So...." Oliver begins as they drive down the road. "What do I call you?" He asks as Samuel looks around the car, pushing random buttons.

"Diggle's good." He tells them. "Dig if you want."

"You're ex-military?" Oliver guesses, causing Samuel to look over at the man.

"Yes, sir. 105th airborne out of Kandahar, retired." Samuel frowns and looks out the window. They still could ditch him. Oliver probably had just as good training and Samuel does too, plus he has his speed. "Been in the private sector a little more than four years now. I don't want there to be any confusion, Mr. Queen and Mr. Greyson. My ability to keep you both from harm will outweigh your comfort." Oliver nudges Samuel, who nods and the two quickly escape the car.

Samuel grabs Oliver's hand and uses his super speed to get them out of there quickly and to their father's old factory, which will be their headquarters.

The two jump the fence and begin to get to work. Oliver's abduction has forced them to move up their plans, but Oliver never did lie. There had been a man in a green hood in that warehouse and a man in that warehouse and soon there will be a man in black known as Velocity.

Oliver and Samuel get their tools out and begin to break open the cement floors, lowering their supplies, breaking down walls, and setting their equipment up.

They have tables, green lights, and weapons all set up. Oliver sharpens his arrows, while Samuel pulls out his uniform to hang up. His uniform insists of a black wife beater and a black leather jacket. The jacket has a hood and a symbol on it's back, the symbol is a golden V, which is formed by two lightning bolts and the v is surrounded by a golden circle, which resembles a rope. Along with that, he has a pair of black leather pants, black heavy combat boots, and black fingerless leather gloves. He also has a pair of black high tech goggles.

Once Oliver is done sharpening his arrows and other weapons he begins to work out, while Samuel then begins to sharpen his throwing daggers and ninja stars.

Once that is all taken care of Oliver and Samuel begin to practice their aims, both hitting their targets perfectly.

~

"The suit alleges that Hunt committed multiple acts of fraud and theft against the city's underprivileged." The newscaster says as Oliver and Samuel watch it with interest. "Laurel Lance, an attorney for the city necessary..."

"Adam Hunt." Samuel glances over at Oliver. "He's in the book. His crimes go deeper than fraud and theft."

"Yeah, but he's been able to bully, bribe, or kill anyone who's gotten into his way." Samuel adds. Oliver gets up and walks to his box, which holds his own uniform.

"He hasn't met us yet." Oliver picks up his hood, which causes Samuel to get up and change into his uniform.

"Let's pay a visit then."

~

Samuel speeds through the garage, not making a single sound, as he listens to Hunt. "You remind Grell I put him on the bench, I can take him off. I will turn him into a cautionary tale.

"Yes, Mr. Hunt."

"And this attorney, Laurel Lance. You said she wasn't gonna be a problem anymore. I told you to fix that situation." The group stops, causing Samuel to slow down. "Why are you still here?"

Samuel slips on his goggles just as Oliver fires an arrow directly at the lights. The lights go out, casting the place in shadows. Samuel smirks and pulls out a handful of ninja stars. He throws them hard and they go flying right into the man on the left of Mr. Hunt.

"Get in the car!" The other man yells to Mr. Hunt as Samuel speeds up, once Hunt ran to the car, and broke that man's neck before he can even move. His gun goes off as he falls to the ground, a bullet hits Samuel, but he just groans and pulls it out of him, the wound closing in less than a blink of an eye.

"You okay?" Oliver asks.

"Fine, can't die remember?" Samuel breaks the window open and pulls Hunt out of the car, throwing him to the ground.

"No, please!" He yells. "Look, just, just tell me what you." He begs as Samuel kneels beside him, one hand holding him down, the other holding a knife to his throat, while Oliver crouches on top of the car with an arrow drawn.

"You're gonna transfer $40 million into Starling City bank account 1141 by 10 o'clock pm tomorrow night." Samuel says as he pulls the man up to his feet and holds him tightly by his coat, while he still has a knife on his throat.

"Or what?"

"Or we'll take it and you won't like how." Samuel hisses, the lights blowing up with each word he spoke. He moves away from the man, his hands sparking, but he squeezes his fists, causing the sparks to disappear. He begins to walk away with Oliver as Mr. Hunt spoke up.

"If I see you again, you're dead!" Samuel's eyes turn an electric blue. He spins around and throws his dagger right above Mr. Hunt's head, while Oliver fires an arrow right into the man's car window. He turns around and looks with a pale face, while Samuel's eyes return to normal and he speeds him and Oliver out.


	4. Chapter 4

"You're attending the party tonight." Oliver argues with Samuel as he gets dressed.

"No, I'm not."

"Sam-

"Oli." Oliver sighs and turns to face him. "You know I have Enochlophobia." Samuel has many phobias; Enochlophobia, Claustrophobia, and musophobia. Enochlophobia is the fear of crowds, which Samuel got because he doesn't like people too close to him, if they're close they have a chance of hurting him and it also makes him feel like he's suffocating. His claustrophobia and musophobia go hand in hand. Whenever he was bad as a kid, his father would throw him into what he called the rat cellar. The rat cellar was smaller than a closet and filled with all the old lab rats that grew too feral and vicious to keep around. All of his phobias cause severe panic attacks.

Oliver watches as Samuel grows pale with the thought of both the rats and small spaces before thinking back about the crowds that will be at the party. "Sammy." Sam looks over at Oliver to find him crouched before him. "Relax, I won't make you go." Sam closes his eyes and relaxes, letting out a heavy breath. "Just breathe." Sam eases his breathing, already going into a panic attack about thinking about it. "Just tell mom you don't think you can handle such a big crowd and stay home. If Hunt doesn't do as we ask then I'll text you. Then tell mom you're going to go for a ride to clear your head and you can meet me at Hunt's to finish what we've started." Samuel nods and Oliver stands up.

"You look like a monkey in a suit." Oliver chuckles and looks back at Samuel.

"It's been a long time since we dressed in nice clothes." Samuel looks down at himself. Since being home he has only worn jeans, plain t-shirts, his boots, and leather jacket.

"I don't know who you're talking about, but I'm dressed kind of simple." Oliver chuckles before saying his goodbyes and leaving.

"Sam." Samuel looks towards the door and sees Moira standing there. "You're not going with Oliver?"

"I... I can't." Moira walks in and sits down beside Samuel.

"The crowds?" Samuel looks down at his shaking hands. "Don't worry baby, no one's going to make you go. Just relax, darling." Samuel rests his head on Moira's shoulder as Moira runs her fingers through his hair. "At least your hair is better since you've gotten home." Samuel chuckles as he nods.

He cut his hair, getting rid of all the mange, and now it's soft and silky again and combed back like it used to be. "Although, I prefer you without the extra hair." She says as she touches the short facial hair on his face.

"I like it." She shakes her head.

"I think you look better clean shaved."

"I think I look older." Moira smiles.

"You still will always have that baby face." Samuel rolls his eyes. "How about I go and make your favorite dinner tonight? Huh? You and I could just have a mom and son night."

"Thanks, mom, but I think I need some sleep. I haven't been sleeping that good lately." Moira frowns as she looks at Sam.

"Is it about the island.... or before."

"... Before." Moira sighs and kisses Sam's head.

"I'll make you some tea with honey to help you sleep."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome, honey." She smiles before heading out the door.

Samuel sighs and falls back on his bed. He is tired.

~

Samuel groans as his phone is ringing piercingly in his ears. His room is dark and besides his bed is a cold cup of tea, which tells him that he has been sleeping for a good couple of hours. "Mmm, hello?" Samuel answers his phone groggily.

"Hunt never gave up the money. Meet me at Hunt's."

"Be there in a nanosecond." He yawns before zipping off through the window, making sure his room is locked, and heading off to get his outfit. He changes quickly and meets Oliver like he promised, in a nanosecond.

"Shut the power off." Oliver tells him, causing Samuel's eyes to glow just before the lights shut off. "Let's go." Samuel's hands glow and he places it on the elevator door, causing it to open. They walk in and Samuel makes it go to the top floor. When the door opens again, Oliver shoots the guards closest to him.

Samuel zips out and uses his blades to clear the entire floor in three seconds flat. "Got it covered here." Oliver smirks before nodding. He pulls his arrow out and lets it fly into another guard by the doors, which causes his gun to go off.

Samuel pushes the other guard through the glass doors, causing the man on the other side to open fire on him. Only when the man is out of bullets does Sam go speeding through and towards the man, he breaks the man's neck, before throwing a ninja star in the neck of another guard. Oliver fires an arrow at another and turns towards the one closest to him and begins to beat the man unconscious.

Oliver fires another arrow at Hunt's desk. "You missed." Hunt tells Oliver.

"Really?" Oliver asks, causing Samuel to smile. He knows what's on the other end of that arrow and knows Oliver did not miss his target. Samuel spins on his heels as he hears a man come at Oliver. Oliver and him fight, while Hunt calls the cops in.

"O-" Samuel catches himself before pulling the man off Oliver and slicing his throat. "Oliver." Samuel speeds towards Oliver to find him knocked out. "Oli, get up." Sam hisses, but Oliver lays still. He can hear the cops coming, which gets him to hit Oliver hard against his face.

"Shit-

"Get up!" Samuel snaps before standing up. He pulls his blade off before cutting into the wall behind him. He helps Oliver to his feet as the cops arrive. "Lay down your weapons or we will open fire!" One of the cops yells. "I repeat, lay down your weapons."

"Go, I got this." Samuel nods.

"If you're sure-

"Mom will check on you soon, I know her. Hurry." Samuel nods before zipping out the window. The cops run to watch as Samuel speeds down the side of the building before disappearing.

~

Samuel falls onto his bed exhausted just as his mother walks in. Samuel fakes sleeping, causing Moira to sigh as she walks over. "Sammy, you should change and get under the covers. You'll catch a cold if you don't. Your room is freezing." Samuel never gets sick, not even with a cold.

"Mm, okay." Samuel mumbles before getting up and doing as ordered.

When morning comes forty million dollars is taken from Hunt's account and given to the people he stole from. His name is then crossed off the list.


	5. Chapter 5

Sam speeds up the side of the building and lands on the roof with a thud. "Who's that?" One of the men shouts as Oliver shoots an arrow at one of them.

"Where'd they come from?" Another ask as they rush them. Oliver dodges one of the men's punches and punches him. Sam speeds up behind the other, holding him in a chokehold.

"What;s going on?" Redman asks as the other three men take Oliver on as Sam causes the other to fall unconscious. Sam moves and takes the other two on. He grabs them both around the necks and uses his electric hands to make them fall to the ground seizing.

"Who are these guys?" Summer asks as Oliver shoots down the last men beside him. 

"Woah, woah, woah, please, wait, wait!" Redman cries as Sam and Oliver advance on him. Oliver grabs him and throws him down on the roof fan's roofing. Sam and Oliver drop down on either side of him.

"Velocity." Sam grabs Redman with his right hand, while his left zap with energy.

"No! No, please." Redman cries as Sam goes to electrocute him.

"Marcus Redman, you have failed this city." Oliver says.

"My electricity will put you in cardiac arrest."

"Please! Don't! Please! Don't!" He screams as Sam hand gets closer and closer.

"Cell phone, inside pocket, call your partner." Oliver orders. "Tell him to give those pensioners back their money.

"Please. Don't."

"Do it now." Oliver orders as Sam touches him for a second, Redman's body shaking from the shock. Sam pulls away.

"Do it!" Sam yells. The man nods, on the verge of tears as they jump away from him. The two take off home.

~

Sam walks into the company's IT department. He walks in and sees no one around. "Felicity?" He hears a thud under the main desk, causing him to wince. He walks over and peers over to see Felicity climbing out from underneath the table. "You okay?" She looks up, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Oh, I'm fine."

"You sure?" Her face grows redder.

"Yeah, just hit my head."

"Mhm. What are you doing done there?"

"Fixing some of the wirings. It was on the fritz."

"Here," He grabs her hand and helps her up from the ground.

"Thanks." She says with a shy smile.

"No problem."

"What are you doing here- Not that I don't mind you here- And not in a 'I want to sleep with you- I mean.... I should stop talking." She says as Sam smiles at her.

"Nah, you're fine." He chuckles. "My brother and I are getting resurrected, legal wise, and I am using my Enochlophobia as an excuse not to go."

"Eno-what?"

"Fear of crowds." He says as he leans against her desk. "My mother was able to talk to the judge to get me out of it."

"That's nice." She smiles, causing him to shrug. "You know, you seem a lot more down to earth than I thought you'd be."

"Why because I'm rich?" Sam asks, causing her to frown. "I wasn't always. I..." He frown and stares down at the ground. "Before I was adopted by the Queens I was on my own."

"What about your real family?"

"I ran away from home at the age of ten."

"Oh." He can tell she wants to know more, but she doesn't ask. Sam finds it strange how comfortable he is talking Felicity, maybe because she respects his privacy.

"So... what do you do in the IT department?"

"Mostly fix other people issues or install things they need."

"Sounds boring."

"It's what I'm good at." He nods as he looks around the room.

"It's nice in here. Quiet."

"Not many people come all the way down here."

"I like it." She nods.

"What was it like?" He glances at her and sighs.

"That's all everyone wants to know."

"I just mean-

"I know what you meant." He says with a shrug. "It's just not easy to talk about. Would you want to talk about something so horrible?"

"I guess not." They stand together in silence for a moment, but it was a peaceful smile.

"How about you tell me about yourself. I'm sure you know plenty about me."

"Only what the news have. Nothing personal."

"Personal comes later." She blushes and stares at her feet. "So, have you lived in the city for awhile?"

"I grew up here with my parents."

"Any siblings."

"I always wanted some, but no." He nods.

"Me too."

"You have siblings now, though." He smiles.

"Yeah, I'm really lucky to have met the Queens."

"Yeah, you were." She says, their arms brushing against each other as she leans against the desk beside him. Sam, in a way, felt very strange due to just how comfortable he felt beside the blonde. He feels as if he can forget about his problems and just relax and enjoy this time of peace.

Sam stares down at his feet as the two stand in silence. The only noise around them is the hum of the computer motors. "What about you?" Sam's eyes snap to Felicity.

"What about me?"

"Everyone knows about everything about you, but only once you got adopted by the Queens. They know Samuel Queen, but what about Samuel Greyson?" Sam swallows the lump that's forming in his throat.

Samuel Greyson. He didn't exist until the Queens adopted him. Before he met them he was just Matthew Wheeler, an abused lab rat running away from his mad scientist father. No matter how comfortable it may be for Sam to just stand beside Felicity and talk to her there was no way he'd open up to her. He hasn't opened up to anyone. Not even Oliver knows what happened in that lab. He only knows what he needs to. The rest Sam keeps locked up tightly inside, letting the pain of those memories burn him alive.

"Sorry, that was personal." Felicity is quick to apologize as she sees the pain in Sam's eyes. "Y-You don't have to tell me anything." She says as she looks away. Sam frowns before releasing a heavy sigh and running his fingers through his hair.

"I should go." Felicity nods numbly.

"Right... sure." She felt awful with asking such a personal thing of Sam and seeing the pain clearly in his dark eyes.

Sam pushes off the desk and starts for the door, painfully aware of Felicity watching him leave. He can't explain why, but he has a great pain in his chest, an aching feeling, one only caused by leaving Felicity's little safe haven of technology.

Once he walked out of the room and down the hall, away from her intense blue eyes, he leans against the wall and lets out a shaky breath. He has never felt more pain and vulnerable than when Felicity asked that question. It wasn't even a question that Sam hasn't heard before. Plenty of reporters asked him that after his adoption, but for some unknown reason it feels more painful having Felicity ask him that. Maybe because he really wants to open up to her, for whatever the reason, and it scares him to think about doing just that and it hurts to think of telling her about the horrors that he went through.

Sam jumps as his phone goes off. He lets out a shaky breath before grabbing his phone with shaky hands. "H-Hello?"

"Sammy... you okay?"

"Hey, Oliver." Sam sighs. "I'm fine. What's going on?"

"We got another."

"Be right there. Meet you at the warehouse?"

"Yeah, meet you there. I'm on my way there now."

"Will be there soon." Sam hangs up and risks a look down at the IT department once more before hurrying out of the building, hurrying away from the intense blue eyes that somehow are engraved into Sam's head and controling his feelings that he thought were long since gone.


	6. Chapter 6

"Martin Somers." Sam says as he watches Oliver work out by climbing the rope, using only the muscles in his arms to pull him up. "Laurel's targeted the worst of Starling City," Sam tells Oliver. "So, I guess, it's no surprise his name is on our father's list." Oliver reaches the top of his rope before coming back down. He hits the ground with a thud, but not in any way hurt and moves on to another area to train. "The city's police and the DA can't stop him." Sam informs Oliver.

"Or won't." Oliver corrects as he grabs his metal pipes and goes around hitting fake targets.

"Or won't." Sam agrees. "Laurel thinks she's the only one willing to bring him to justice."

"She's wrong."

"We're going after him, aren't we." Oliver turns and looks at Sam.

"He's in the book."

"And so he must be crossed out of it."

~

That night the two head for the docks where Somers would most likely be. "Hit the lights." Sam closes his eyes, his hands sparking and the power shuts down just like that. Sam is a speedster, but he also has control of electricity and can create it himself. It's why Oliver always relies on Sam to shut the power down. "Good." Oliver says as he heads in and fires arrows. Sam has the lights flickering in order to scare Somers more before turning the lights back on once all his men are down.

Somers gasp as he takes all his men in. "What the..." He looks around startled as Sam uses his speed to run up behind him and hit him over the head, hard enough to knock him out.

"Let's tie him up." Sam grins before heading outside with the man hanging over his shoulder. Oliver chuckles and follows after him.

When Somers wake back up again he's hanging upside down by his foot. Oliver and Sam stand there watching him sway back and forth. "Martin Somers." Oliver says as he starts forward.

"Who the hell are you two?" Somers demands more than asks.

"Uh-huh. We're talking, not you." Sam grins before using his blade and cutting his shirt, causing the man to scream. The faintest of scratches are on his chest, but enough to make a little bit of blood fall.

"You've failed this city." Oliver says as he grabs an arrow as Sam speeds over to stand beside him.

"No!" The man shouts. "No, no, no, no, no, no! Aah!" He screams as the arrow shoots past him.

"You're gonna testify in that trial." Sam says as he steps forward. "You're gonna confess to having Victor Nocenti killed."

"There won't be a second warning." Oliver shot another arrow, causing it to scrape his cheek and distract him, allowing Oliver and Sam to speed off before Somers could even be aware of their disappearance.

~

Sam winces as he hears Moira's worried tone as she talks to Diggle. "Now, where do you think my sons are going on these chaperone-less excursions?"

"Ma'am, I truly do not know."

"And he truly doesn't." Oliver says as he drags Sam in with him to the living room.

"Then perhaps you'd like to share with me, you know, where it is you both run off to."

"I just go to the company. You can ask the driver." Sam says.

"Oliver?" Moira questions, causing Oliver to laugh.

"I've been alone for five years."

"I know that, Oliver." Moira says as Sam bites his lip to keep from laughing.

"Mom." Oliver says pointedly. "Alone. With only Sam, my brother." Sam makes a point to move away from Oliver as he says that.

"I see." Moira mutters.

"I promised to introduce her if it ever gets to the, uh, exchanging first names s-stage."

"No, I'd rather you promise to take Mr. Diggle with you on your next rendezvous." She tells Oliver. "It's not safe, Oliver, you've already been abducted once. There are maniacs out there, hunting the wealthy."

"Those maniacs saved my life."

"This isn't a game."

"Why don't you have Sam being followed?" Oliver asks.

"I'm the adopted brother, Oli, in the face of the public you're the greatest one in danger, plus, I think Moira knows that I know the whole flight and fight ways by now." The room goes quiet at Sam's words. Moira's eyes instantly falls on the scars that are showing on Sam's left arm, the scars given by himself.

"I lost you both once." Moira whispers. "And I am not going through that again."

"Okay." Oliver nods. "Digg's my guy." He adds as he looks at Diggle.

"Thank you." His mother says before making her way out of the room.

"Sorry to give you so much grief." Oliver apologizes.

"I served three tours in Afghanistan, Mr. Queen. You don't even come close to my definition of grief." He says as he heads towards them. "But I tell you what. You ditch me one more time, no one will have to fire me." He promises before making his way out of the room.

"With that said, I'm going to bed." Sam makes his way out of the room and heads up the stairs to his room.

Sam changes and gets in bed, shutting all the lights off as he lays down. He lets out a sigh as the soft bed engulfs him.

Instead of the usual nightmares Sam dreams of a certain blond from the IT department, but it is still enough to force him to wake up shaky and covered in his own sweat. He lets out a shaky breath and pushes his sweaty hair out of his face. "Shit." He mumbles.


	7. Chapter 7

Sam walks with Oliver, Moira, and Walter out of the elevator. "As you can see, Oliver and Samuel, we've modernized quite a bit." Oliver gives a low whistle as Sam takes in the area around him. The place is definitely classy and modern.

"Oooh." Oliver says as he looks around, his mother leading him down the hall. "Hi." Oliver smiles at the passing of two female workers.

"Hi." Sam rolls his eyes, but can't help but think the blonde looks a lot like Felicity. Sam closes his eyes, the smiling socially awkward blonde coming into his mind. Sam opens his eyes and shakes a way the image.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Moira asks Oliver.

"Yes, I am. What about you, Sam?" Sam looks over at Oliver and his mother.

"What's not to love?"

"I remember when your father used to bring you both here when you were a boy." Walter spoke up as they entered Walter's office. "You were both always so excited."

"Dad let me drink soda in the office." Oliver smiles.

"I got hot chocolate." Sam grins.

"Ah! So that's why you enjoyed coming." Moira says as Sam looks out the large windows.

"The Queen Consolidated's success of late is a result of its targeted diversification." Walter tells them. "We have been making impressive inroads in cutting-edge fields like biotech and clean energy."

"That's neat. Excuse me?" Oliver calls out to one of the secretaries. "Can I, uh, um, get a, a sparkling water or something cold, please?" He looks at Sam, but Sam shakes his head.

"Sweetheart, Oliver, Walter and I have something to discuss with you." This catches Sam's attention. "Come, please sit."

"Mom, it makes me nervous when you ask me to sit down."

"The company's about to break ground on a new site for the applied sciences division." Walter tells them. "And we would like to honor your father by dedicating the building in his name."

"Nice." Oliver says as Sam nods in agreement.

"And...We'd like to make an announcement at the dedication that you will be taking a leadership position in the company." Sam glances at Oliver as Moira says this. "Sam, we would ask you, but-

"I understand." Sam says. "I'm a Queen through adoption, not blood."

"Sammy-

"Plus, I rather not have to handle such a huge thing." Sam says, shooting her a reassuring smile. Sam would rather not have anything to do with the company. It's not his destiny to take.

"No." Oliver says once it is brought back on to him.

"No, your, your company." Moira corrects.

"No, I don't wanna lead anything. Besides, Walter is doing a very good job here."

"You said that you wanted to be a different person."

"Mom, ease up." Sam says as he stands beside his brother. "You're asking a lot from a person who only just got back to civilization."

"You are Robert Queen's son." Moira tells Oliver.

"I don't need to be reminded of that."

"Well, obviously you do." Sam could feel the emotions going through Oliver. He knew Oliver didn't want this. Didn't want any of this.

"Everyone here understands that," Walter sighs as he looks at Oliver and Sam. "This transition is really difficult for the both of you."

"Thank you, Walter." Oliver says as Sam nods. "Which part, though?" Sam hits Oliver's arm, trying to get him to shut up, but Oliver ignores Sam's attempt. "Everyone fantasizing that I got my MBA while I was on the island? Or the fact that my father's CFO now sleeps down the hall from me?" Sam closes his eyes.

"Shit." He mutters. Moira shakes her head before starting out of the room. "You know, five years ago, your irresponsibility was somewhat charming." She says as she turns to look at Oliver. "It is a lot less so now, Oliver." Her and Walter leave the room.

"Olli," Sam sighs. "Let's just get out of here, okay?" Oliver nods and the two heads out with Dig.

As they come out of the elevator Sam can see the reports all outside, causing him to stop dead in his tracks, his hands shaking. Oliver glances at him and sees the fear in his eyes. Crowds. "How about you go and see the computer lab, you always loved seeing it when you came here as a kid. We'll meet you at home, okay?" Sam looks at Oliver and can barely nod. "Just breathe, we'll see you later." Oliver whispers as he gives him a reassuring smile before heading out with Diggle.

Sam sighs before heading back into the elevator and heading to the floor where the computer lab is. Sam walks into the room to find Felicity having her lunch break. "Oh, hi, Sam." Sam rubs the back of his head.

"If your busy I can go-

"No! I mean," Pink scatters across her face. "I mean, you can stay. I'm not doing anything really. You can join me if you want."

"Sure." Sam says as he moves and takes a seat on a nearby desk.

"About the other day-

"You don't need to apologize." Sam says as he stares down at his hands.

"I really do." Felicity says as she moves to him. "I shouldn't have asked something so personal. It's none of my business." Sam glances up at Felicity, his mind growing fuzzy. When near her he can't think straight, see straight, she's the only clear thing around him. It scares Sam to feel so close to someone who he had only met recently.

"What are you doing after work?" Sam asks, trying to keep his voice from shaking. He never was the one to go on dates and flirt with girls, it had always been Oliver's thing. It feels almost terrifying to thing of a night out with a girl. With Felicity.

"W-What?" She stutters out, obviously surprised by Sam's sudden question. Sam tries to calm his racing heart as he looks at Felicity.

"What are you doing after work?" He repeats.

"N-Nothing much. Probably will go home like I always do- not that I don't have guys! I mean... friends to socialize with and... I... uh." Seeing Felicity so embarrassed and worked up makes Sam smile and grow relaxed.

"So if you have nothing plan do you want to have dinner with me?" Sam didn't think it possible for Felicity to grow anymore pink in the face.

"Yes! I mean," And yet she grows even pinker. "I would love to." Sam smiles.

"Great, I'll pick you up after work then...."

"Six. Work ends at six for me."

"Great, see you then." He smiles before heading out of the office. As Sam heads home he can't get that smile off his face.

Six couldn't come sooner for Sam. He decided to dress a tad nicer than usual, settling for jeans and a button down. He was grateful to have his mother not home when he heads out because he didn't want her asking questions. 

Sam waits outside of Queen Consolidates as Felicity walks out the door. "Hey, you ready?" Sam asks, causing Felicity to look at him taken aback. He looked nice and seeing him that made Felicity grow even more nervous about tonight.

"Sure." She smiles and takes his outstretched hand and allowed him to lead her to his car.


	8. Chapter 8

Sam and Felicity had dinner at a nice restaurant and they spent the time mostly talking about Felicity's work, Sam's way of trying to get her to relax. Now the two are heading back out to the car. Sam's phone chimes, causing him to pull it out and look at it.

'Need to talk to you ASAP.'-Oliver

'Will need to wait a bit. Kind of in the middle of something.'-Sam

Sam pushes his phone back into his pocket as his car drives up. "Thanks." Sam hands the guy a decent tip before opening the door for Felicity.

"Thanks." Sam smiles at her.

"Not a problem." He closes the door and makes his way to the driver's seat. "So what's your address?" Sam asks as he opens his GPS.

"93 Water Street." She tells him, causing him to push the address in before putting his car into gear. "We did a lot of talking about me, but not a lot about you. You don't like talking about yourself much do you?"

"My life before the Queens isn't exactly a nice story to tell." Sam says to Felicity.

"What about your life after the Queens?"

"Everything after is in the papers."

"We both know the reporters always change things. Who are you really Sam?" Sam frowns as he focuses on the road.

"Not as great as you think."

"So tell me the real you then." Sam sighs as he leans back into his seat, the soft leather engulfing him and relaxing him.

"I have a lot of issues, Felicity."

"We all do."

"Not like me."

"Well, it's not like you're a serial killer." Sam bites back his comment of, 'I'm kind of am' and decides to try to change the subject.

"What kind of person are you then, Felicity."

"Don't try to change the subject onto me, Sam." Sam sighs and glances at her.

"I swear the reporters make me out to be some sexy mysterious guy." Sam says as he stares at the road ahead of him. "It's no wonder females think I'm something to strive for. It's not a surprise when they're all left disappointed by getting a glimpse of the real me."

"I didn't agree to have dinner with you tonight based on what they say about you. I already know most of that is fake or lies. I said yes because I wanted to see the real you. So tell me, I'm not going to run off."

"You sure about that?" Felicity falls silent as she looks at Sam. His tone tells Felicity to run and not look back, but it's because of that tone that she pushes forward.

"Positive." He runs a hand through his hair with a sigh before answering her.

"I'll give you the long story some other time. Short story my dad fucked me up pretty bad. I suffer from bad anxiety, many phobias, and am on dozens of pills to try and help my never ever ending list of problems. The only person who I even allow being close to me is my brother and he's becoming almost as fucked up as me. I'm fucked up, Felicity." He glances at her. "You sure you want to stick around and watch this train crash?"

"Maybe you just need someone to help you." Sam rolls his eyes and looks back at the road.

"Who do girls always want to try and fix me."

"I don't want to fix you, Sam. I just want to help you." Sam freezes as he feels Felicity takes his hand in hers. Her hand is so warm and comforting. Sam can feel as if a weight is being lifted off his shoulders at her touch. Her thumb rubs against the top of his hand. He sighs as he tries to focus on driving. "How about you tell me that long story now." He wants to. He really wants to. He wants to tell her everything, but he can feel Oliver's many texts vibrating in his jeans pocket. A reminded that he needs to get home soon.

He pulls up to Felicity's apartment complex and reluctingly pulls his hand out of hers. He gets out and goes around to open Felicity's door. "Thanks." She says, but he can hear that she too wants to keep the contact between them. He closes the door, takes her hand in his, and leads her to the front entrance of her apartment. "Come up with me." Sam looks at Felicity, his heart yet again racing.

"I can't."

"Sam, I'm not going to hurt you." She whispers, her fingers brushing across his cheek. He closes his eyes at the faint touch. "Come upstairs with me, Sam." Sam forces himself to pull away.

"Maybe another time, Felicity. I really need to head home." Felicity frowns and drops her hand.

"Sure." Sam can't stand to see the disappointment on her face. He steps closer and reacts on instinct, not with thought. He leans down and kisses her. The gentle kiss causes heat to invade Sam's entire body and his very breath to be stolen from him. The kiss is quick, but the effects are long-lasting. His lips are tingling and he just wants to kiss her again. Before he can give in to that wish Felicity does. She entangles her fingers through his hair and pulls his head back down to kiss her.

Sam's arms wrap around Felicity's waist, pushing her against the wall, her fingers gripping onto his shirt. The sound of Sam's phone ringing pulls Sam back to reality. He pulls back leaving Felicity staring at him in a daze. "I really should go."

"Stay."

"Felicity, you barely know me and if you knew who I really was..." He trails off. "You wouldn't be asking me to stay."

"I don't care."

"Trust me, Felicity, you would. I'm not the kind of guy you want to get involved with."

"I'll decide who I wish to get involved with and who I don't."

"Felicity-

"Just shut up, Sam." She says before pulling him back down to kiss her.

"Fuck, Felicity, I..." He can barely think with her so close to him and the smell of her invading his senses. "I can't stay. I really need to go." He steps back, his hands shaking.

"Then at least call." She says before grabbing his phone from his pocket and putting in her number.

"Felicity-

"Call." She says as she hands it back before heading for the door. She looks back at him before going inside. Sam sighs before heading to his car.

He hops in and heads for the Queen's mansion. He walks inside just as Oliver is heading for the door. "We're going out to get Somers." Oliver says, his voice held anger as if he was angry that Sam didn't get home as soon as he snapped his fingers.

"Hey, Sam how was your night? What were you up to? Did you have a good time?" Sam says sarcastically. "Any time you want to stop acting as if I'm more than just your slave would be nice." Oliver sighs and looks at Sam.

"Where were you."

"I was.... On a date." Sam says, causing Oliver's face to go into a look of pure surprise.

"What?"

"I know, shocking, but nope, I was on a date."

"With who?"

"That is going to stay a secret."

"We tell each other everything."

"True, but... But this one needs to be something just for me, at least for now. I'll tell you eventually, but I just need this to just be for me."

"She must be special then. Or he."

"She thank you very much." Sam says.

"Did you have a fun time?" Sam smiles. "He's smiling? A girl made him smile? It really must be the end of the world."

"Shut up."

"I really do want to meet the girl who got my brother so.... dazed. Must be something if she can get you so distracted."

"She's defiantly something."


	9. Chapter 9

Sam ties up his boots as Oliver puts on his weapons. "These boots are probably the best thing I've ever created." Sam says as he lifts his foot with some effort. "Weighted in order to keep me from going so fast that I rip a hole in the space of time, which would only cause me to go to the past or future, which as we already know is a bitch to get from."

"I don't know, Sam, I kind of like these weapons." Sam made all the equipment used by them. Sam is very intelligent, almost Einstein intelligent.

"Well, thanks." Sam smiles as he stands up.

"I wanted to give Martin Somers the chance to confess and face a court's justice." Sam sighs as he slips his hood on.

"I know, Olli." Sam's outfit is all black. He has a pair of leather pants, his weighted black combat boots, a black wife beater, and his famous black leather jacket that has a blue lightning bolt on the back of it inside a circle that is designed to look like one large bolt of lightning. Sam's jacket has a hood, which he keeps on over his head and he also has a pair of goggles, which he made himself. The goggles all him to see different things. He has x-ray vision, thermographic vision, night vision, and he also has a small computer in his goggles that allow him to access any information he requires, another of his favorite inventions.

"He chose to go after someone I care about instead." Oliver carries on to say.

"It's his own fault." Sam says as he hands Oliver his bow.

"He's still going to face justice."

"Yeah, a different kind." Sam agrees. "And I'm with you on that. Let's go and deal with him." Sam says before zipping them both out of their headquarters and to the docks. The two split up to take out the guards.

"Wallace?" Sam can hear a man say from inside where Somers is. "Wallace?"

"Wallace isn't here." Sam smiles as he hears Oliver's voice come over their walkie-talkies. "But I am."

"We need to move, now. Move!"

"Ollie, they're on the move." Sam says to Oliver through their earpieces.

"Got it."

"He has only one man with him and six outside."

"I'll take them down. Meet up with Somers."

"On my way." Sam puts his goggles back down and zips off to meet with Somers. He zips in front of them as they entered a building. Sam zips pulls Somers up by the collar of his shirt and holds him against the cargo crates. "Uh uh, Somers. You made a mistake by not following orders and now we've come to deal with you."

"Oh, God, no, no, no." Sam chuckles.

"He can't help you, Somers." Sam cocks his head to the side before moving out of the way as Oliver fires an arrow at Somer's shoulder, which would have shot Sam. "That's a little close."

"I want the truth about Victor Nocenti!" Oliver demands, ignoring Sam's comment.

"I can't. The Triad will kill me."

"The Triad's not your concern right now." Oliver says as he loads two other arrows. He fires them in a way to make one go in his other shoulder and the other to fall into his pant's leg.

"Alright, alright, alright." Sam moves and stands beside Oliver.

"It wasn't me that killed him." Somers sobs. "It was the Triad."

"Acting on whose instructions?" Sam asks. Oliver fires another arrow just above Somers head.

"Whose?!" Oliver demands.

"Alright, alright. It was mine. It was mine, alright? Nocenti said he was gonna testify against me." Sam spins on his heels to see a woman standing there.

"Move away from him." She says in Chinese.

"Make us." Oliver says in return. The girl starts for Oliver first, causing Sam to stand aside and watch. "Velocity!"

"You said it, not me. This is your fight. I'll step in when I deem it necessary." Sam says as he watches. "This is also for firing an arrow at me." Sam frowns as he hears the police coming. "Best hurry."

"Not helping!"

"This is the police. You are surrounded."

"And they're here."

"Velocity!" Oliver yells as the woman runs off.

"On it." Velocity rushes in front of her, but she pulled out a blade as soon as he appeared and stabs him in the stomach. "Ow." He winces as he pulls out the blade. He turns to see her gone. "Well, shit."

"We got to go."

"No dah. Meet you at HQ." Sam says before speeding off.

Sam wastes no time getting his jacket off and his shirt. He puts his goggles on a nearby table as he grabs a towel to clear away the blood. When he clear away the blood there is not a single wound there. "Mm, not bad healing." Sam smiles before looking around the place. "First thing first, when we get the time we are so adding a shower into this HQ." He looks down at his phone and quickly adds the hours. "I got a good seven hours before the ceremony. Better get some shut eye." Sam quickly changes before heading home knowing Oliver would be there eventually.

Sam slept with no nightmares that morning. When the time came for the ceremony he stood off a ways, not wanting to deal with the crowd that is formed in front of the stage. He could be on the stage, but he always did hate attention.

"Good afternoon and thank you all for coming." Walter begins as Sam looks for Oliver. "Welcome to the future site of the Robert Queen Memorial Applied Science Center."

"Come on, Ollie, you better not skip out on this." Sam whispers as he quickly shoots a text to Oliver.

"Now, this is a building that will stand as a monument to the man whose company and vision are his greatest legacies."

"Whoa! Whoa!" Sam's head shoots up from his phone to see Oliver making his way through the crowd.

"Oh, please, don't do what I think you're doing." Sam whispers.

"Hm. Okay." Sam rolls his eyes as Oliver takes a glass of champagne. "What about me? Right?"

"Oh, please, Oliver, don't do this."

"I'm a legacy. Hey! Thanks for warming 'em up, Walt. Alright. Ow! Fine, fine shovel." Sam closes his eyes not wanting to see this train wreck that Oliver is setting up. "I got it. Whoa! Ow! I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I'm kidding."

"If only I could not have such good hearing too." Sam mumbles.

"Well, I got it. I got it. Some of you may not know me. My name is Oliver Queen." Sam opens his eyes and looks at his family who look very embarrassed. "Uh, watch some television, read a newspaper. I'm kinda famous right now. Mostly, though, I'm famous because I'm Robert Queen's s-son. Uh, but as Walter who's... my new dad. Huh? Who is.... sorry. As Walter was saying, uh, I'm not much of a legacy, per se. And, uh-"

"Oliver, you don't-" Walter tries to say.

"No, sit. Sit! Gosh." Walter sits down with a smile, but Sam knows no one is really too happy right now. "See I'm supposed to come here today and I'm supposed to take my rightful place at the company. Prodigal son returns home and becomes the, the heir apparent. But I'm not my father. I'm not the man he was. I'm not half the man he was. I never will be. So... please, stop asking me to be." Oliver puts the shovel in the dirt before hopping off stage. Sam sighs before making his way over to him as he walks towards the pear.

"Honestly, I think you made your point." Sam says.

"Good, hopefully they get it."

"Oh, they will, Ollie. Now, time to cross another name off."


	10. Chapter 10

Sam sits back in his chair as he watches Oliver working out. Sam had already did his work out. His work out includes running a mile and seeing how fast he can go without hitting the speed required to go run through time and he also does hand to hand combat, which he already has done. "Next on our list. James Holder, a cancer to our city." Oliver says as he lets go the chains, causing the heavy cement slabs to hit the ground. "His corporations put defective smoke detectors in low-income housing in the glades." Oliver says as he slips his shirt on. Sam sits up, puts his feet on the ground, and bring up the news article about Holder.

"There have been many fires." Sam says. "And too many funerals." Oliver opens his book and looks it over.

"But cancers can be fought and conquered. All it takes is a surgeon and the right instrument."

"Let's get to it then." Sam smiles as Oliver pulls out his bow. Sam gets up and gets ready with Oliver.

The two hurry to Holder's home and find him on the roof. Oliver shoots Holder's bottle as he gets off the phone. "I have armed security inside. All I have to do is call out."

"Go ahead." Sam says.

"They can't hear you." Oliver adds as he tosses a gun down.

"What the hell do you want?"

"How many people died in those fires? How many?" Oliver yells.

"The courts say you don't owe your victims anything." Sam says. "We disagree."

"James Holder-" Sam jumps as suddenly a bullet pierces through the sky and goes right into Holder.

"What the hell?" Sam yells in shock. He turns and takes cover as Holder falls into the pool. Oliver follows seconds later as bullets pierce the skies. Oliver crouches down beside him breathing heavily from adrenaline. "You got shot."

"I'll be fine once I get to HQ."

"Fuck." Sam growls before wrapping an arm around Oliver and zipping them out of there. Sam ran at full speed to their headquarters and laid Oliver down on a table. Sam got out the first aid and begins to clean Oliver's wound and dress it.

The process of fixing Oliver up took a lot longer than Sam would have liked, but he couldn't blame anyone but himself. "I should have been able to hear him. To hear his gunfire." Sam says as he glares down at his hands as if wishing for himself to just burn up right then and there.

"Sam, it wasn't your fault. You didn't expect someone to show up."

"Which is why I should be on alert at all times. I let my goddamn guard down and you got shot."

"Hey, Sam, you're not alone on this. We're a team. It's no one's fault." Sam sighs and glances over at Oliver as he says this. "It's no surprise a man as corrupt as James Holder has more than one enemy." Sam nods as he crosses the name off.

"I know." Oliver stands up before almost falling back down. "Shit, Ollie, you okay?" Oliver touches his arm and looks at the gauze used to clean the wound.

"The bullet."

"What about it? You didn't lose too much blood, did you?"

"Poison." Sam's eyes widen and the two both rush towards Oliver's box from the island. Sam pulls out the small pouch and took out the grassy herb before practically shoving it into Oliver's mouth.

"Here, drink." Sam orders as he pushes the water bottle into Oliver's hand. Oliver drains a third of the water before passing out. "Well, this might be awhile."

Oliver actually stayed passed out for five hours, which Sam both felt was needed and a good sign, but also annoying and boring. He had called Moira to tell her Oliver had a rough night and they decided to sleep at Tommy's, which Sam knew wouldn't be questioned because Oliver was always having a rough night before the island.

He now sits dressed in his usual clothes and waiting for Oliver to wake up. The alarm set on Oliver's computer is beeping loudly, but Sam decides to let it beep in hopes of getting Oliver up.

Oliver bolts up at the sound of the alarm. "Damn it!" Oliver curses.

"Already talked to Moira. I didn't feel like dragging you home. Wears me out having to carry you everywhere in my speed." Sam says.

"You should have woken me before the alarm."

"You looked like you could use the sleep." Oliver rolls his eyes and gets up, wincing slightly in pain. "Easy, princess, we don't need you to get another boo boo."

"Fuck off."

"Someone's crabby this morning."

"I got shot."

"Yeah, it happens to me at least once a month. Just walk it off." Oliver shoots Sam a glare, but Sam only smiles and grabs his coat. "Come on, let's get home. Oh... and act hung over."

"You told mom I had a rough night."

"Only excuse she won't check or question." Oliver rolls his eyes as they set out for the house.

When they arrive they find police all outside and Thea sitting on the couch as Walter and Moira talk with the police. "Seems to me that you're not the only one who had a rough night." Sam whispers.

"So not helping, Sam."

"Sorry." Oliver walks over to Diggle, who stood watching the scene.

"What happened? Is Thea okay?" Oliver asks.

"The cops brought her home, she and some of her friends broke into a store, tried on some dresses last night. Lit up the breathalyzer like a Christmas tree."

"Shit, Thea." Sam says. "Can't she at least try and behave. The whole 'rebellious teenager' crap is just so goddamn annoying."

"You really are on a role this morning." Oliver says.

"What? Am I being mean? Well she got to learn to grow up. Just looked how fucked you were at her age."

"Again, not helping, Sam. What is with you this morning. You're never this... talkative."

"Just in a good mood." Oliver gives Sam a look as he says that before turning back to Diggle.

"So how was your evening, sir?" Diggle asks.

"You mean after I said I had to go to the bathroom at dinner and never came back?"

"I guess from now on I'll be watching you pee." Sam cracks a grin at Diggle.

"Good one. I like him." Sam says to Oliver, causing him to roll his eyes.

"You really are in a good mood."

"Yup. Feeling all cheerful and responsible. It's a bit scary actually." Sam smiles. Oliver chuckles and heads into the room. "Well, I rather not witness this craziness, so... I am going to go ahead and take a shower." Sam says as he pats Diggle on the arm before heading up the stairs to take a quick shower.

Sam didn't use his speed in the shower, but instead allowed himself to enjoy the warm water raining down on his sore muscles. He closes his eyes and sighs in bliss allowing for a few more minutes of this peace before finally giving in and getting out. He dries off and walks to his room. He changes in a pair of fresh jeans and another of his t-shirts before grabbing his jacket.

"I'm heading back to HQ to check out what poison was used on those bullets." Oliver says as he walks into the room.

"Want a ride I'm guessing." Sam smiles.

"If you wouldn't mind."

"Let's go. I could totally use a run, but I do need food first."

"Can't you get some on the way?"

"I'm not a car, Oliver, I don't have enough space to hold fifteen slices of toast, a pound of bacon and sausages, and twelve fried eggs."

"Is that seriously how much you eat for breakfast?"

"I have a very high metabolism. I need to keep my energy up to run as fast as I do because I burn off a lot with my speed."

"Fine, I'll have Raisa make you breakfast."

"Thanks, Ollie."

"Just hurry up."

It's an hour later when the two are at their hideout. Sam is munching on the last of his breakfast as Oliver is testing the different substances on his blood to find what the poison was. "The bullets were laced with curare." Oliver says as Sam licks the butter off his fingers.

"Cool, that's something not used to often."

"It's a rare and deadly poison." Oliver says.

"Which is why no one ever uses it. It's too hard to come by. The guy must know a person."

"It's the killer's unique MO. He's killed all over the world. Chicago, Markovia, Corto Maltese."

"Sounds like a serious bad dude."

"Interpol even has a codename for him."

"Oh, is it as cool as mine?"

"Deadshot." Oliver says as he pulls up his file.

"Not even a good picture." Sam says as he looks over Oliver's shoulder.

"I was prepared to give James Holder a chance to right his wrongs, but this Deadshot has no morality, no honor, no code. He doesn't kill for justice, which makes him as dangerous as anyone on our list."

"Oliver, it in facts put him right at the top."

"Yes it does."

"Looks like we're going for Deadshot."

"There's also something else I've been thinking about, Sam."

"Yeah and what's that?" Sam walks back over to his chair and sits down.

"I need a reason to keep coming here."

"Uh, take a look around."

"I mean to use on Diggle. I was thinking of making the upstairs into something."

"Like what?"

"I don't know... A nightclub."

"Seriously? Ollie, I hate crowds. I legit have a fear and you want to pack this place full of people? What if someone finds this room? What if our secret gets out?"

"It won't."

"Oliver-"

"I'm going to make sure this place is well hidden. Just trust me, will you?" Sam huffs an annoyed breath before rolling his eyes.

"I always trust you, Oliver, but can't you at least for once do what I think?"

"Sam, I am hearing what you're saying, but we need a cover story and this is all I can come up with that would suit everyone's needs and actually be believable in the public's eyes." Sam frowns and looks around.

"You have a lot of work to do."

"No," Oliver says as he leans back in his chair and smiles. "We do." Sam looks at Oliver for a long moment.

"I hate you."


	11. Chapter 11

Sam walks with Oliver to the front doors of the abandoned warehouse that have been their headquarters since they've gotten back from the island. Behind them are Tommy and Diggle. Oliver opens the big doors and turns to look at Tommy. "So what do you think?" He asks with a happy smile on his face. "Great spot for a nightclub or what?" Oliver asks as they all walk inside.

"Sweet. Though I gotta tell you, man, if you're thinking about calling it, Queens I don't think you're gonna get the clientele you were hoping for." Tommy says.

"Private office."

"For the private one-on-one meetings, I would imagine." Sam rolls his eyes as he looks around at the place.

"Hopefully the occasional two-on-one meetings." Tommy laughs, but Sam doesn't. He never really found thinks like that very funny.

"Man, are you sure you wanna do this? It's not like you really have any experience in running a.. well, running anything."

"No, but it'd be perfect for him to learn how to." Sam says.

"How about tomorrow night the two of us we go and scope out the competition."

"Sam-"

"He has that Enclophosphia." Tommy says, causing Sam to glare daggers at him.

"Enochlophobia, Tommy. Not that hard. N-o-k-low-phobia." Sam says making sure to pronounce it slowly and clearly for him.

"Do you really want to bring him to a nightclub?" Tommy asks, causing Sam's hands to start sparking.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Sam, Tommy, don't fight."

"You just have a lot of issues, Sam."

"Tommy!" Oliver scolds.

"I'll show you issues." Sam growls, but Oliver grabs him before he could do anything.

"Both of you calm down. Sam do you want to join us-"

"I rather burn in hell then go anywhere with this asshole. Now get the fuck off me." Sam growls as he pushes Oliver off him. "This is your fucken nightclub, Queen, you deal with the issues that come with it. I have better things to do than to hang out with this shallow asshole." Sam snaps before heading out of the building. Once he is sure he's out of sight he zips off home.

Sam spends the rest of the evening in his room reading. "Honey, are you okay?" Sam looks over at his clock to see it reads ten o'clock as his mother is standing in the doorway.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Not spending time with Oliver?"

"I had a fight with Tommy."

"Ah. You two always went at it like cats and dogs." Moira says as she sits on the bed beside him.

"Yeah, brought up... my issues."

"Honey, you know there is nothing wrong with you."

"We both know there's plenty."

"Yes, but you're a good guy."

"Questionable."

"Honey, no matter what Tommy Merrle or anyone else says you are a good guy who had a life time of misory. You just need that one person who can help you."

"And what if I can't be helped?"

"You asking that means you can be." Moira says as she runs the back of her hand lovingly down Sam's cheek. "How about I have Raisa make your favorite and you and I will have a movie night." Sam gives a small smile as he nods. "Good, I'll be right back."

Sam spends the rest of the night with Moira before she decides its time for bed. Sam's phone rings shortly after she heads to bed. "Sam, it's Oliver. I'm sorry about Tommy, but I did some digging and found out where Deadshot could be. I need you on this, Sam. You're my partner." Sam frowns as he grabs his shoes.

"Fine, but you so owe me. What's the address?" Oliver gives him the address and Sam quickly zips to HQ to change before zipping to the address.

Sam meets up with Oliver and the two stands outside Deadshot's possible room. Oliver kicks in the door and fires his arrow as Sam zips in and tries to get to Deadshot's gun before he can, but he opens fire and shoots bullet right into Sam, while Oliver manages to dodge. "Well, shit, that hurts." Sam says with an annoyed voice. "This jacket will have so many bullet holes by the time I'm done with this year."

"What the hell?" Deadshot says after firing his clip into Sam.

"Yeah, bullets don't kill me. Sucky, I know." Oliver comes in and fires another arrow at a lamp before firing one at Deadshot, but he lifts the mattress so that got shot instead. Deadshot fired again, but this time Sam dodges them, not wanting to ruin his jacket. Once Deadshot is done with that clip he jumps out the window. Oliver and Sam rush to the window, but he's long gone.

"Shit." Sam says as he winces from the gun shots.

"Let's get out of here before the cops show up." Oliver says as he grabs the lap top and head out of the room. Sam takes a quick look around before dashing them back to HQ.

Sam takes his jacket off before pulling his wife beater over his head. "Help me, will you? I need to get these bullets out before they start damaging my blood."

"I thought-"

"If they're left in they can do harm because they're laced with poison."

"Lay down." Sam lays down and Oliver grabs a knife. "Your skin already healed over them. Hate to say it, but I need to cut them out."

"Go for it. Hand me some liquor will you?"

"I thought your metabolism makes it so alcohol burns right through you?"

"It does, but it makes me feel better." Oliver rolls his eyes and hands Sam a bottle of whiskey. "Mm, thanks. Shit! Ow! Fuck!" He curses as Oliver rips open the skin and begins to get to work.

"We need someone to look over the lap top. I'll never be able to figure it out." Oliver says, causing Sam to squeeze his eyes shut.

"Erg, you're enjoying this too much."

"I'm cutting my brother up, not exactly fun."

"Sadist." Oliver rolls his eyes as he gets the last bullet out.

"You can't die."

"So who cares if I feel pain?"

"No, look you're fine."

"Still hurts."

"I know." Oliver says. "I'm going to go stop in to see if someone in the Tech department at the office can help."

"Don't!" Oliver raises an eyebrow in question.

"Why not?"

"Well... uh... why do we need to?"

"Sam?"

"I mean.... Deadshot isn't on the list and-"

"Is your girl from the Tech department?"

"What?! No! I-I-No!"

"Well that settles that. We're going."

"Ollie, don't." Sam whines and continues whining until they are standing in the Tech department.

"Ahem. Felicity Smoak?" Oliver calls as he walks over to Felicity who is sitting at her desk working on today's task. Sam rubs the back of his head feeling nervousness shooting into him. "Hi. I'm Oliver Queen. Sam's brother."

"Of course. I know who you are, you're Mr. Queen."

"No, Mr. Queen was my father."

"Right, but he's dead. I mean, he's drowned." Sam bites his lip to keep from laughing at Felicity's bad habit of nervous rambling.

"Felicity." Felicity glances at Sam.

"But you didn't, which means you come down to the IT-"

"Felicity has a habit of speaking a lot when she's nervous." Sam cuts in. "Trust me, she so doesn't mean what she's saying." Felicity's cheeks turn red from embarrassment.

"I'm doing it again, aren't I?"

"Uh, yeah, but it's fine." Sam smiles. "We were actually hoping you can help us with something."

"Uh, right, yeah, of course, what is it you need?"

"I'm having some trouble with my computer and Sammy told me that you were the best person to come and see." Sam rolls his eyes at Oliver's sure hints.

"Oh, um, thanks." Felicity blushes, causing Sam to give a shy smile. Felicity looks at the laptop that Sam hands her. "I was at my coffee shop surfing the web and I spilled a latte on it." Sam raises an eyebrow at Oliver.

'Really?' Sam mouths.

"Really?" Felicity asks.

"Yeah."

"Cause these look like bullet holes."

"My coffee shop is in a bad neighborhood." Oliver says, causing Sam to shake his head.

"Felicity, could you just maybe help Ollie out for me?" Felicity glances at Sam as he says that. "Let's be honest, my brother here is a terrible liar, but we could really need your help. We need you to see if you salvage anything from it... pretty please."

"Well, you said please." Sam grins as Felicity looks the computer over. "You're not going to tell me what this really is about, are you?" Sam's grin falls.

"Felicity," Oliver takes the hint and excuses himself. "Look, I know there's a lot I don't say, but it's just... It's easier for me to keep people at a distant."

"You can't always keep people at a distance, Sam." Sam sighs and moves to stand by her chair before crouching down.

"Felicity, I promise, I will open eventually, but it's going to take time. I... I can't promise to give you everything right away. I haven't had it easy and it makes it hard for me to open up to people, but if you're willing to look past that, at least for now, then I'd really like to go on another date with you." Felicity blushes before a smile comes to her lips.

"Just as long as you promise you'll open up and tell me everything one day."

"I promise." Sam says as he leans over and kisses her. Felicity sighs into the kiss before kissing him back. "Call me when you got something, okay?"

"Okay." He gives her another kiss before making his way out of the room to where Oliver was waiting.

"You really like her, huh?"

"I know she does a lot tends to ramble, which makes her say stupid stuff, but she's really a good person and... yeah I like her. Is that a bad thing?" Oliver shakes his head with a smile.

"No. It's a good thing. I'm happy for you." Oliver says. "How about we go grab some lunch and then you and I will head back and see if Felicity got anything. Unless you want to go on your own to see her."

"Really, Ollie, must you be so annoying?" Oliver laughs as the two head out.

It isn't long before Felicity calls them back. Sam takes a seat beside Felicity as Oliver stands behind them. "It looks like blueprints." Felicity says.

"Do you know what of?" Oliver asks.

"The exchange building."

"Never heard of it." Sam says.

"It's where the Unidac Industry's auction is scheduled to take place." Felicity says. Sam gives her a confused look. "I thought you said this was your laptop."

"Personally I wanted to go with the whole friend's laptop, but... it's a long story." Sam says. "Just trust me, Felicity."

"Look, I don't want to get into the middle of some Shakespearian family drama thing."

"Shak-What?" Sam asks in confusion.

"Homeschooled. Doesn't know Shakespeare." Oliver adds.

"You were homeschooled?"

"Uh, yeah, first ten years of my life, so the Queens thought it'd be too hard for me to adjust to regular schooling, so they kept up homeschooling. Never did Shakespeare though. What is that?"

"Uh... nevermind." Felicity says.

"What did you mean?" Oliver asks.

"Mr. Steele marrying your mom." Oliver nods. "Claudius, Gertrude... Hamlet?"

"Felicity, I really have no idea what you're talking about. Can't you just drop that, please. It's confusing." Sam says, causing Felicity to give a sympathetic smile to Sam.

"Sorry."

"I didn't study Shakespeare at any of the four schools that I dropped out of." Oliver says. "I do know what Shakespeare is, but I've never learned it."

"Mr. Steele is trying to buy Unidac Industries. And you've got a company laptop associated with one of the guys he's competing against."

"Floyd Lawton."

"No. Warren Patel." Felicity says. "Who's Floyd Lawton?"

"He is an employee of Mr. Patel, evidently." Sam says feeling worried as he sees how many areas that Deadshot can make his kill shot.

"Thanks for the help, Felicity, I have to go do something." Oliver says before whispering to Sam. "I'm going to see Lance." Sam nods as Oliver walks out.

"Thanks again, Felicity, really this means so much."

"Honestly, Sam, you are very strange, but, you're welcome." Sam smiles and kisses her.

"I'll see you later." Sam promises before heading back out with the laptop. Sam races back to HQ and changes into his uniform before putting the laptop away.

Sam races up to the rooftops to keep an eye up there as Oliver deals with the family. Sam leans against the pillar as he keeps his ears open. Sam's heart drops to his stomach as he sees the lights on Walter. "Oliver, Walter, now!" Sam yells into his earpiece as he waits for a gunshot to tell him where Deadshot is.

As soon as the gunshots go off Sam is racing through the building. He runs into the room as soon as Oliver does. While Oliver is being shot at Sam goes and kicks the gun out of Deadshot's arms. Unfortunately, he still has a gun, which he shoots Sam with. Sam winces in pain and runs back some in order to unzip his jacket and rip the bullet out before his body heals over it. "Fuck I hate this guy." Sam growls.

"Drop your guns." He hears Oliver say.

"I admire your work. Guess you won't be extending me any professional courtesy and your friend there is pretty quick on his feet. How'd he manage that."

"Many chemicals in my system." Sam calls. "Would kill you if you tried to get on my level."

"We're not in the same line of work." Oliver shouts. "Your profession is murder."

"You've taken lives."

"For the good of others." Sam says.

"You're out for yourself." Oliver adds. Deadshot fires at where Oliver is and Oliver fires an arrow, getting Deadshot right in his eye. Sam zooms over and puts his foot on his chest to keep him from moving.

"You are nothing, but dirt under my boot. Careful, these boots are weighted." Sam smiles as he puts more pressure down on his foot, causing the sound of cracking ribs to sound.

"Is he dead?" Oliver asks.

"Should be, but I rather not take chances."

"Me either." Sam's head shoots up as he hears the groaning sounds of Diggle.

"Shit, Dig. You take care of him. I have to get Diggle to HQ."

"Velocity-"

"There's no other option. He's been shot badly. He'll die of poison if I don't get him out." Sam picks Diggle up and zips him out of there as fast as he possibly can go."


	12. Chapter 12

Sam sits on the desk as Diggle comes around. Oliver sits in his chair facing Diggle. "You sure this is a good idea, Ollie? We could just bring him to his place instead of him seeing us."

"I think he could help us with this."

"Something tells me he won't agree with how we handle things." Sam tells him.

"Just trust me on this."

"I've been doing a lot of 'just trusting' for the past week."

"I think he's coming around." Sam sighs and glances at Diggle as Oliver turns to face Diggle. Diggle groans, holding his arm as he sits up. Oliver stands up and makes his way to Diggle. "Hey."

"Oliver?" Oliver nods as Sam hops off the desk and stands on the other side of Oliver. "You're those vigilantes." Oliver dodges as Diggle goes to punch him. "Easy, Dig. You were poisoned."

"Son of a bitch."

"Not by us, Dig." Sam says as he grabs him and holds him down on the ground. "Now calm down and we will explain it all."

"How are you so strong?" Sam rolls his eyes as he looks at Diggle.

"I'm a lab rat. I was made this way. You calm now?" Diggle nods, causing Sam to get up and help him back onto his feet.

"We could have taken you anywhere. We could have taken you home." Oliver tells him. "We brought you here."

"You both really did lose your minds on that island."

"I lost mine way before then." Sam says. "The island was a cake walk compared to what I went through before the Queens."

"I found a couple things on the way?"

"Like what, archery classes?" Diggle demands.

"Clarity." Sam and Oliver say together.

"Starling City... is dying." Oliver tells him. "It is being poisoned by a criminal elite who don't care who they hurt as long as they maintain their wealth and power."

"What are you going to do? Take 'em all down only with the kid by your side?" Sam raises an eyebrow.

"How old do you think I am? I'm the same age as Oliver."

"It's the baby face." Sam glares at Oliver as he says that. Oliver ignores it and looks back at Diggle.

"I want you to join us. Special forces out of Kandahar. It's perfect. You're a fellow soldier." 

"Oliver, neither of you are soldiers. You're a criminal. And a murderer." Sam crosses his arms as Diggle starts heading off.

"I told you so."

"Not helping."

"Let's just get home. I'm so tired." Sam says before zipping home, leaving Oliver behind. Sam zips up to his bedroom. He falls on his bed with a heavy sigh, exhaustion coming over him.

Sam wakes up to Oliver hitting him with a pillow. "Get up."

"Erg, Ollie, stop."

"We have a problem." Sam sighs as he rubs his eyes and looks at Oliver.

"What's up?"

"We got a new bodyguard. Told him to get the car ready and I would get you and we'd go into the city."

"Want me to zip to HQ?"

"Nope, I want to make it much more enjoyable. Care for biking it to HQ?"

"Give me five seconds."

"Got it. 1," Sam zips out of bed. "2," He grabs a pair of clothes with his speeding abilities. "3," He changes into them. "4," He takes care of brushing his teeth and other bathroom things. "5," He zips in front of Oliver ready and with his jacket in his hands.

"You ready?" Oliver chuckles.

"It always amazes me how you can actually get ready so fast."

"It makes it easy to ditch too." Oliver smiles and heads downstairs. Sam quickly packs a backpack of breakfast in containers before going to the garage and getting on his motorcycle, while Oliver gets on his. Sam pulls on his helmet and the two of them ride out and down the long driveway.

Oliver waves to the new guy as he passes before the two head to HQ. When they get there Sam hops onto the table and begins eating his breakfast. "They say Peter Declan murdered his wife in cold blood. He had no alibi. And all the evidence pointed towards it. He was tried, convicted, sentenced to death. An open-and-shut case, except for one thing."

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"Declan's wife, Camille worked for Jason Brodeur."

"He's on the list." Sam says.

"Jason Brodeur is on the list." Oliver agrees.

"So it's very questionable whether or not Declan actually killed his wife." Oliver nods as he goes and starts making some new arrows.

"The odds are good that Brodeur is involved with this woman's murder, which means an innocent man is facing execution."

"He'll need a good attorney." Sam says.

"Yes, he will." Oliver pulls out the photo of Laurel from his wallet.

"Can you handle asking Laurel tonight?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Going to go see Felicity."

"Another date."

"Shut up." Oliver laughs as Sam flips him off and finishes up his breakfast.

When Sam's finished with his breakfast he goes and sees Felicity. "Hey." Felicity looks up as Sam walks in.

"Hey, Sam." Felicity smiles.

"So, I was wondering if you wanted to go and grab dinner tonight?" Felicity smiles as she looks down at her desk. "Felicity." Sam smiles as he sees the blush on her face.

"Mm, yeah, I, uh, I would love to."

"Good. I'll pick you up in at 8 then?"

"You sure like 8."

"8 is a good time? What's wrong with 8?" Felicity laughs as she shakes her head.

"Nothing."

"Good." Sam leans down and kisses her before stepping back. "I should let you get back to work. I'll see you later." Felicity smiles.

"Bye Sam." Sam smiles before heading back out.

~

Once again Sam walks Felicity to her door, but this time he didn't have a criminal waiting for him. "Will you come in, tonight?" Felicity asks, causing nervousness to sink into Sam. Sam can only nod, causing Felicity to smile, taking his hand, and leading the way into her apartment complex. The two of them make their way through the lobby towards the elevator.

"Pretty nice place." Sam smiles, trying to ease some nervousness from himself.

"Your company pays well."

"Not mine. My parents."

"Maybe one day it'll be yours."

"Don't want it. Oliver can have it."

"Why don't you want it?"

"Because, Felicity. I don't want to run a business. I just... I want to be my own person not take care of everyone else all the time. It's too much stress." Felicity hits her number for her floor and they begin making their way up there in the elevator.

"I was just asking." Felicity says as she takes Sam's hand, lacing her fingers with his.

"I know." Sam sighs. "I didn't mean to snap, I just hate people asking me that. They expect me to be so grateful for the Queens that'd I make myself be like them, but the Queens and I are totally different people. I can't be like them. Running a business isn't what I'm good at."

"Then what are you good at? What do you want in life, Sam?" Sam glances at Felicity, kissing the top of her head.

"Right now, I just want to spend my night with you." Felicity smiles as the two of them reach her floor.

"Come on." Felicity says as she leads him out and down the hall to her room.

"Look, Felicity," Sam starts, feeling the nervousness seeping in again. Felicity cuts him off as she kisses him once she unlocked her door. She opens the door and leads him, closing it behind them. She kisses Sam again, backing him up against the wall. "Felicity." Sam says as she runs her hands down his chest. She goes to unbutton his shirt, but his hand catches her. "Don't." Felicity looks up at Sam startled.

"Sam?"

"Please, Felicity. I-I can't."

"Sam, talk to me, what's wrong?" Felicity asks as she can feel Sam's hands shaking.

"I-I...." Sam stutters, closing his eyes as if feeling as if the world was closing in on him.

"Hey, shh, it's okay." Felicity whispers. "Just relax." She whispers in his ear, kissing just below it. "Talk to me." In an instance, Sam relaxes. "Talk to me, Sammy." Sam opens his eyes and sighs heavily, putting his face in her neck, kissing it gently.

"I don't know if I can have you go as far as see that side of me."

"See you without a shirt on?" Felicity asks.

"See how much my father ruined me." Felicity freezes as she hears Sam's broken voice.

"Sam." He shakes his head.

"There's things you can't unsee, Felicity and I don't think you will be unable to unsee it." She steps back and begins unbuttoning his shirt. "Felicity-"

"Just let me, Sam. Trust me." His eyes meet hers and he lets go of her hand. She unbuttons his shirt the rest of the way and slips it off. The cotton fabric hits the ground as Felicity can't hold in the gasp as she sees his chest. "Sam." She breathes out as she sees the bullet wound on the left side of his chest, burns that resemble cigarette ends going up his left arm, he had scars going all over his chest, and with his shirt off Felicity can see the N branded into the very low part of his neck. The worst of all the wounds are the ones Felicity sees going up both arms to his elbows. Self inflicted. "Oh, god, Sam." She whispers, running her fingers over those self inflicted ones.

"I told you that you would be unable to see them." Felicity looks up at Sam.

"I'm so sorry someone did this to you and even more sorry that you did this to yourself." She says before pulling him into her arms. Sam wraps his arms around her, closing his eyes and fighting back the wave of emotions. He hated being weak in front of people, but with Felicity, he feels he can just let down his walls. "I promise I'll never hurt you." She whispers. "Just let me in." Sam lets the tears slip down his face as he holds her tighter.

"Just promise not to leave me." Felicity fights her own tears as she holds onto Sam just as tightly.

"Promise."


	13. Chapter 13

Sam sits on the desk as Diggle comes around. Oliver sits in his chair facing Diggle. "You sure this is a good idea, Ollie? We could just bring him to his place instead of him seeing us."

"I think he could help us with this."

"Something tells me he won't agree with how we handle things." Sam tells him.

"Just trust me on this."

"I've been doing a lot of 'just trusting' for the past week."

"I think he's coming around." Sam sighs and glances at Diggle as Oliver turns to face Diggle. Diggle groans, holding his arm as he sits up. Oliver stands up and makes his way to Diggle. "Hey."

"Oliver?" Oliver nods as Sam hops off the desk and stands on the other side of Oliver. "You're those vigilantes." Oliver dodges as Diggle goes to punch him. "Easy, Dig. You were poisoned."

"Son of a bitch."

"Not by us, Dig." Sam says as he grabs him and holds him down on the ground. "Now calm down and we will explain it all."

"How are you so strong?" Sam rolls his eyes as he looks at Diggle.

"I'm a lab rat. I was made this way. You calm now?" Diggle nods, causing Sam to get up and help him back onto his feet.

"We could have taken you anywhere. We could have taken you home." Oliver tells him. "We brought you here."

"You both really did lose your minds on that island."

"I lost mine way before then." Sam says. "The island was a cake walk compared to what I went through before the Queens."

"I found a couple things on the way?"

"Like what, archery classes?" Diggle demands.

"Clarity." Sam and Oliver say together.

"Starling City... is dying." Oliver tells him. "It is being poisoned by a criminal elite who don't care who they hurt as long as they maintain their wealth and power."

"What are you going to do? Take 'em all down only with the kid by your side?" Sam raises an eyebrow.

"How old do you think I am? I'm the same age as Oliver."

"It's the baby face." Sam glares at Oliver as he says that. Oliver ignores it and looks back at Diggle.

"I want you to join us. Special forces out of Kandahar. It's perfect. You're a fellow soldier." 

"Oliver, neither of you are soldiers. You're a criminal. And a murderer." Sam crosses his arms as Diggle starts heading off.

"I told you so."

"Not helping."

"Let's just get home. I'm so tired." Sam says before zipping home, leaving Oliver behind. Sam zips up to his bedroom. He falls on his bed with a heavy sigh, exhaustion coming over him.

Sam wakes up to Oliver hitting him with a pillow. "Get up."

"Erg, Ollie, stop."

"We have a problem." Sam sighs as he rubs his eyes and looks at Oliver.

"What's up?"

"We got a new bodyguard. Told him to get the car ready and I would get you and we'd go into the city."

"Want me to zip to HQ?"

"Nope, I want to make it much more enjoyable. Care for biking it to HQ?"

"Give me five seconds."

"Got it. 1," Sam zips out of bed. "2," He grabs a pair of clothes with his speeding abilities. "3," He changes into them. "4," He takes care of brushing his teeth and other bathroom things. "5," He zips in front of Oliver ready and with his jacket in his hands.

"You ready?" Oliver chuckles.

"It always amazes me how you can actually get ready so fast."

"It makes it easy to ditch too." Oliver smiles and heads downstairs. Sam quickly packs a backpack of breakfast in containers before going to the garage and getting on his motorcycle, while Oliver gets on his. Sam pulls on his helmet and the two of them ride out and down the long driveway.

Oliver waves to the new guy as he passes before the two head to HQ. When they get there Sam hops onto the table and begins eating his breakfast. "They say Peter Declan murdered his wife in cold blood. He had no alibi. And all the evidence pointed towards it. He was tried, convicted, sentenced to death. An open-and-shut case, except for one thing."

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"Declan's wife, Camille worked for Jason Brodeur."

"He's on the list." Sam says.

"Jason Brodeur is on the list." Oliver agrees.

"So it's very questionable whether or not Declan actually killed his wife." Oliver nods as he goes and starts making some new arrows.

"The odds are good that Brodeur is involved with this woman's murder, which means an innocent man is facing execution."

"He'll need a good attorney." Sam says.

"Yes, he will." Oliver pulls out the photo of Laurel from his wallet.

"Can you handle asking Laurel tonight?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Going to go see Felicity."

"Another date."

"Shut up." Oliver laughs as Sam flips him off and finishes up his breakfast.

When Sam's finished with his breakfast he goes and sees Felicity. "Hey." Felicity looks up as Sam walks in.

"Hey, Sam." Felicity smiles.

"So, I was wondering if you wanted to go and grab dinner tonight?" Felicity smiles as she looks down at her desk. "Felicity." Sam smiles as he sees the blush on her face.

"Mm, yeah, I, uh, I would love to."

"Good. I'll pick you up in at 8 then?"

"You sure like 8."

"8 is a good time? What's wrong with 8?" Felicity laughs as she shakes her head.

"Nothing."

"Good." Sam leans down and kisses her before stepping back. "I should let you get back to work. I'll see you later." Felicity smiles.

"Bye Sam." Sam smiles before heading back out.

~

Once again Sam walks Felicity to her door, but this time he didn't have a criminal waiting for him. "Will you come in, tonight?" Felicity asks, causing nervousness to sink into Sam. Sam can only nod, causing Felicity to smile, taking his hand, and leading the way into her apartment complex. The two of them make their way through the lobby towards the elevator.

"Pretty nice place." Sam smiles, trying to ease some nervousness from himself.

"Your company pays well."

"Not mine. My parents."

"Maybe one day it'll be yours."

"Don't want it. Oliver can have it."

"Why don't you want it?"

"Because, Felicity. I don't want to run a business. I just... I want to be my own person not take care of everyone else all the time. It's too much stress." Felicity hits her number for her floor and they begin making their way up there in the elevator.

"I was just asking." Felicity says as she takes Sam's hand, lacing her fingers with his.

"I know." Sam sighs. "I didn't mean to snap, I just hate people asking me that. They expect me to be so grateful for the Queens that'd I make myself be like them, but the Queens and I are totally different people. I can't be like them. Running a business isn't what I'm good at."

"Then what are you good at? What do you want in life, Sam?" Sam glances at Felicity, kissing the top of her head.

"Right now, I just want to spend my night with you." Felicity smiles as the two of them reach her floor.

"Come on." Felicity says as she leads him out and down the hall to her room.

"Look, Felicity," Sam starts, feeling the nervousness seeping in again. Felicity cuts him off as she kisses him once she unlocked her door. She opens the door and leads him, closing it behind them. She kisses Sam again, backing him up against the wall. "Felicity." Sam says as she runs her hands down his chest. She goes to unbutton his shirt, but his hand catches her. "Don't." Felicity looks up at Sam startled.

"Sam?"

"Please, Felicity. I-I can't."

"Sam, talk to me, what's wrong?" Felicity asks as she can feel Sam's hands shaking.

"I-I...." Sam stutters, closing his eyes as if feeling as if the world was closing in on him.

"Hey, shh, it's okay." Felicity whispers. "Just relax." She whispers in his ear, kissing just below it. "Talk to me." In an instance, Sam relaxes. "Talk to me, Sammy." Sam opens his eyes and sighs heavily, putting his face in her neck, kissing it gently.

"I don't know if I can have you go as far as see that side of me."

"See you without a shirt on?" Felicity asks.

"See how much my father ruined me." Felicity freezes as she hears Sam's broken voice.

"Sam." He shakes his head.

"There's things you can't unsee, Felicity and I don't think you will be unable to unsee it." She steps back and begins unbuttoning his shirt. "Felicity-"

"Just let me, Sam. Trust me." His eyes meet hers and he lets go of her hand. She unbuttons his shirt the rest of the way and slips it off. The cotton fabric hits the ground as Felicity can't hold in the gasp as she sees his chest. "Sam." She breathes out as she sees the bullet wound on the left side of his chest, burns that resemble cigarette ends going up his left arm, he had scars going all over his chest, and with his shirt off Felicity can see the N branded into the very low part of his neck. The worst of all the wounds are the ones Felicity sees going up both arms to his elbows. Self inflicted. "Oh, god, Sam." She whispers, running her fingers over those self inflicted ones.

"I told you that you would be unable to see them." Felicity looks up at Sam.

"I'm so sorry someone did this to you and even more sorry that you did this to yourself." She says before pulling him into her arms. Sam wraps his arms around her, closing his eyes and fighting back the wave of emotions. He hated being weak in front of people, but with Felicity, he feels he can just let down his walls. "I promise I'll never hurt you." She whispers. "Just let me in." Sam lets the tears slip down his face as he holds her tighter.

"Just promise not to leave me." Felicity fights her own tears as she holds onto Sam just as tightly.

"Promise."


	14. Chapter 14

Sam wakes up to a face full of blonde hair. At first, he almost wants to bolt in fear of not knowing why he had blonde hair in front of his face, but he relaxes as he remembers last night. After Felicity saw his wounds the two decide to just lay together. Sam needed to be comforted and Felicity gave him that. The two laid together for hours just talking about Felicity's life. She had a good family. Her parents were both very nice and understanding, while also having good jobs. Sam liked hearing all the stories of Felicity's parents. They sounded to be a very good family to Sam.

Now Felicity is sleeping with her back to Sam, his arm wrapped around her, and her legs entangled with his. Sam pulls her closer, burying his face in her hair once more, and keeping his body pressed against hers. He breathes in the sweet scent of her hair, which smelled of cherries.

"Sam." Felicity yawns. "You're up early. Did you get any sleep?"

"The best sleep I had in a very long time." Sam whispers. "It's nice. Just laying here with you. I think if I could I would spend my entire day here." Felicity turns over, her face ending up right near his.

"So could I." Sam smiles at her, pushing her blonde hair off her shoulder. He leans down and kisses her, causing her to smile before kissing him back.

"I have to get ready for work."

"Stay. With me." He whispers as he kisses her neck.

"I want to. I really do, but I have to go to work."

"Call in sick." Felicity laughs.

"I can't, Sam, I'm head of the department. I can't just call out."

"Yeah, you can." He says as his fingers trail down her arm. "Stay with me."

"You're making me want to give in so badly, but I can't. I have to go into work." She pulls away, causing Sam to sigh as he watches her walk to her bathroom. "I'll be out in a minute." Sam nods and sighs.

He pulls out his phone to check his messages.

Talked to Laurel. She is helping Declan. Going to see if Diggle is at Big Belly Burger tonight. Are you coming home anytime soon? Did you have a good night with Felicity? -Ollie.

Sam smiles as he responds back. Amazing time, but not how you think. We just talked.... a lot. It was nice. -Sam.

Sam puts his phone on the bedside table before slipping out of bed. He didn't hear Felicity come back out until he heard the gasp. He looks over to see her staring at his back. "I never saw.... I didn't know there was more."

"Sorry." Sam grabs his shirt, but Felicity stops him.

"Don't." He frowns as Felicity slips onto the bed behind him and runs her fingers over his scars. "You were burned a lot."

"His favorite thing."

"He shot you."

"Yeah... once."

"And these marks." She runs her fingers down deep cuts.

"From his belt." She pulls her fingers away.

"And the others?"

"Knives."

"That's awful." She whispers.

"I know it's not very nice looking. Not too many girls even like seeing me shirtless."

"You're not ugly." She whispers as she kisses each and every scar. "You're just imperfect, like the rest of us. It makes you human." Sam sighs as Felicity runs her hands down his back before going back up and down his chest. "I really want to stay." She whispers.

"So stay."

"I can't." He turns and moves so she's laying on the bed.

"Says who."

"Me." He leans down and kisses her.

"Stay." He whispers again, his fingers going to the edge of her towel.

"I can't." She says breathlessly.

"Yes, you can." He unhooks the towel. "Stay."

"I need to go to work." She says, struggling to breathe with him so close.

"No, you don't." He opens her towel and takes a deep breath.

"Sam." She goes to cover herself, but he stops her.

"You're so beautiful." She blushes beet red as he leans down, kissing down her neck.

"I'm not-"

"You're gorgeous." He whispers, his kisses going further and further. "Perfect." His lips come to the edge of her breast.

"Sam." She whispers.

"Tell me to stop."

"Don't." Sam feels his eyes flicker, causing them to widen. He can hear the very quiet snap of the electricty shooting through his hands. He pulls back. "Sam?" He closes his eyes, trying to pull in his electricty. "What's wrong?" Felicity asks as she sits up. He opens his eyes and looks at her.

"Nothing." He says.

"Sam, something happened? What is it?"

"I just..." He rubs his head. "I just got a migraine." Felicity laughs.

"Are you okay?"

"No." He mutters. He wasn't lying. He is getting one. "I get them a lot."

"How about I finish getting ready and I'll make us breakfast."

"Felicity-" He tries to grab her hand, but she makes sure to not be caught.

"Another time, Sam."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She smiles before heading to her closet. Sam sighs and falls back on the bed.

~

Sam leaves Felicity's house soon after breakfast, still feeling very hungry. He didn't eat much, not wanting Felicity to ask questions because Sam can eat as much as three people in one go and still be hungry. When Sam walks into the house he groans. "I'm hungry. Raisa?" He pouts. "Food?" She laughs.

"Yes, Mr. Sam. Still the same." She smiles as she pats his chest before heading into the kitchen.

"Felicity didn't make breakfast?" Sam looks towards the stairs to see Oliver heading down them.

"She did, but you know how much I eat. I didn't want her asking questions or to eat all her food." Oliver chuckles.

"You do eat a lot."

"So I only ate a normal size of food and I'm so hungry now."

"Come on, let's go eat then." Sam smiles and the two heads into the kitchen after Raisa. "And then you can tell me all about your date." Sam groans, but doesn't argue, knowing it'd be no use.

~

That night Sam walks with Oliver and their new guy, Rob, to see if they can find Diggle. "Area secure, sir." Sam bites back the erge to laugh.

"Thank you very much, Rob." Sam and Oliver head towards where Diggle and his sister-in-law are.

"Is he-"

"Don't even." Oliver says as Sam fights back his laughter. "Hello, Diggle's sister-in-law Carly." Oliver greets. He shakes her hand. "I'm Oliver Queen and this is my brother Sam."

"I know who you both are."

"No, you really don't." Diggle says.

"That's very true. My life's a mystery before the Queens." Sam smiles. The woman moves on and Sam slides into the booth. "Ooh-"

"Sam." Oliver says, causing Sam to pull back his hand.

"Sorry." Sam says.

"How are you still hungry after lunch?" Oliver asks.

"I eat a lot, leave me alone." Sam says.

"I couldn't help but notice a distinct lack of police cars when I got home. I knew you wouldn't drop a dime on me." Oliver says as he slips in beside Sam. Diggle pushes the container of food closer to Sam.

"Really?"

"He'll eat all of that and more." Oliver says. Diggle motions for Sam to eat, but he holds back.

"I don't want to steal your food." He pushes it back.

"So, have you considered my offer?" Oliver asks.

"Offer? That's one hell of a way to put it."

"It is an offer." Sam glances at them and the food.

"Just eat it, Sam." He hesitates before grabbing a fry. Oliver rolls his eyes.

"Thinks with his stomach." Sam shoots him a glare.

"I have a high metabolism. I need to keep up my energy to run."

"I heard it all before." Oliver says, causing Sam to roll his eyes. Oliver looks back at Diggle. "It's a chance to do the kind of good that compelled you to join the military."

"Please. You were born with platinum spoon in your mouth, Queen. What, you spent five years on an island with no room service and suddenly you found religion?"

"Not me. I was born with a belt to my back." All eyes fell on Sam as he stole another fry. "To dark?" Oliver took out the book and places it down in front of Diggle.

"This was my father's." Diggle looks at it and opens it up. "I found it when I buried him." Oliver says as he pockets it.

"I thought you said your father died when the boat went down."

"We all made it to a life raft." Sam says.

"But there wasn't enough food and water for all of us, so he shot himself in the head. And as much as he was doing it to give Sam and I a chance to survive, I believe that he was also atoning for his sins. I need to right the wrongs done by my family. And I'm offering you the chance to right the wrongs done to yours." Sam takes another fry.

"Oliver, what are you talkin' about?"

"The police never caught your brother's shooter." Sam says.

"Hey, you both leave Andy out of this." 

"The bullets were laced with curare. The same stuff that was used in the bullet that shot you."

"That's Floyd Lawton's MO." Oliver adds. "He is the snipper that we stopped."

"Are you trying to tell me that you both took down Andy's killer?"

"I'm-I'm giving you the chance. A chance to help other people's families. Do you remember when the people in this city helped each other? They can't do that anymore because a group of people, people like my father, they see nothing wrong with raising themselves up by stepping on other people's throats. It does need to stop and if it's not gonna be the courts and it's not gonna be the cops, then it's gonna be Sam and I."

"I hate my father with a burning passion, Diggle, but what he gave me is something no one else has and I plan on using it the way I want and not what he wanted. He wanted me to be some kind of super soldier, but I plan on being a hero for others who suffer just like I have." Sam tells him.

"And I hope you join us." Oliver says as he gets up.

"Thanks for the food Dig." Sam took out thirty dollars and put it on the table. "I am not a dog. I don't take food and give nothing back." He says before getting up. Rob heads over as they stand up.

"I'm gonna go to the washroom, Rob." Oliver says before heading off. Sam chuckles and eyes over Rob. Diggle sighs before eyeing over Rob.

"Oh, that boy's long gone, man. Phew." Sam laughs.

"Yeah, we can make a run for it when we need to. So, Rob, because you are not my guard I am going. See you later." Sam smiles before heading out.


	15. Chapter 15

Oliver and Sam head out to take down Istook. When they arrive where he is Oliver fires one his trank dart arrows, causing the man to wince in pain and check his neck. "What the..." The man falls to the ground.

"Great, let's go." Sam says as he picks the man up, throwing him over his shoulder, and heading towards the train tracks. He drops Istook and Oliver handcuffs the man to the tracks. They step back and wait for him to wake up.

As he wakes up he sits up, only to have the handcuffs stop him midway. He looks at them and then around him. "Matt Istook." Oliver begins.

"You're them. Those hood guys." Istook says as he looks at Oliver and Sam with fear. "You're the guy that's been terrorizing the city."

"Peter Declan, your lies helped put him on death row." Sam says. "Now, either it's time to tell me the truth or it's time for the 10:15 to Bludhaven."

"Oh. Okay, okay, I-I." The man stutters as he tries to get loose. "Brodeur paid me t-to speak that Camille never spoke to me but-but I didn't have anything to do with her death. Oh, God, please. I-I'll do anything. You can have the file."

"What file?" Oliver asks.

"Camille gave me a file of evidence against Jason Brodeur."

"Where is it?" Oliver yells.

"Let me go, and I'll tell you." Oliver looks at Sam before walking away. "Wait! Don't go. Wait! Wait! Wait! Don't go! It's in my desk! The file, it's in my desk at the office! You can have it! Get me out of here!" Sam grabs the man's wrists and uses the other to break the cuffs as if it was nothing. He pulled the man off and speeds off with Oliver.

When they arrive at Istook's office. "I'll deliver this to Laurel." Oliver says, causing Sam to nod.

"Okay. Then I'm heading home, I'm tired." Sam says before zipping home. "Hey, Thea." Sam smiles as he sees her.

"I haven't seen you in ages. How are you?" She asks as he takes a seat beside her on the couch.

"I've been fine. Busy."

"With?"

"Nothing..."

"Really because when I do see you, you're always so happy. And..." She sniffs him. "You smell like perfume."

"I do not." Sam sniffs his shirt and almost curses as he smells Felicity's perfume on it.

"So who's the girl?"

"There is none."

"Then who's the guy?"

"Why does everyone think I'm gay?"

"Who's everyone?"

"Ollie asked the same thing. Is it a guy? No okay."

"Ha! So there is someone."

"Shit." Thea smiles as she looks at him.

"Who."

"Thea-"

"In all the time I've known you, Sammy, I have never once seen you with a girl or heard of one. Who is she?" Sam groans and throws his head back against the couch. "Sam."

"Felicity Smoak."

"Ooh. Who's she?"

"She works at the company."

"Doing what?"

"She's in charge of the tech department."

"See, this is why Oliver needs me. I can so easily make you talk."

"You're the devil." Thea grins and leans over, kissing his cheek.

"Yes, but I'm your sister, so you get the worst of it." Sam rolls his eyes as his phone chimes, but before he can grab it Thea does.

"Thea-"

"Hey, Sam, just got out of work. Do you want to come over?" Thea reads. "Wow, already past second base, Sammy?"

"No." Sam grabs the phone back. "No we haven't gotten that far."

"You came in pretty late this morning."

"Actually I got here early in the morning."

"Exactly, so you spent the night at her place."

"Yes, but nothing happened."

"You can't tell me nothing happened. You slept over a girl's house."

"Yeah, but that's all it was. Sleeping."

"I don't believe you." Sam groans and falls down onto the couch.

"Nothing happened, Thea. Nothing."

"Uh huh. And what if I called her-"

"Even think about it and you're dead." Thea grins just as the sound of someone walking into the house sounded.

"Ollie's home." The two walk out to see Oliver smiling. "Oh, my God. What is wrong with your face?" Thea asks as they walk in.

"What do you mean?" Oliver asks.

"There's something really weird on it like this thing with your mouth it, it looks like it's in the shape of a smile." Oliver chuckles.

"That's cute."

"She's on a roll tonight." Sam says with a roll of his eyes.

"So why are you grinning?"

"I took your advice with Laurel.... to be myself."

"And..."

"It's helping."

"Got mad relationship skills, bro. Let me know if you need trendy places to propose."

"I think you're getting a little bit ahead of yourself." Oliver says as he holds his fingers up for measurement. Sam smiles at Thea's smug look.

"Mm."

"Little bit."

"Well, Sam, how about I help you next." Sam rolls his eyes.

"I'm fine, Thea."

"Did you know 'Felicity' invited him over tonight?"

"Felicity? You got that out of him?" Oliver asks. "It took me going to her department to find out who she was."

"I swear she drugs me every time she talks to me. I can't help, but spill everything to her." Sam says.

"Yeah, I make you drink a truth serum every morning that only works for me." Thea teases.

"I knew it." Sam teases back as someone comes through the door. They look over to see Rob walk in looking very tired and very annoyed.

"Rob." Oliver smiles. "You gotta keep up."

"Or you'll be stuck in our dust." Sam grins before heading for the door.

"Going to see Felicity?" Oliver asks.

"Shut up."

"Say hello for me."

"Go fuck yourself."

"Language." Sam laughs and heads outside before zipping off to Felicity's apartment complex.

He arrives a minute later and buzzes her apartment. "Hey, Sam, just come on up." Felicity says before buzzing him in. Sam walks in, closing the door behind him, and zipping up the stairs, after making sure there were no camera around.

He got to her door and waited a few minutes before knocking, not wanting her to question how come he got up there so fast. Felicity opens the door and smiles at him. "Hi."

"Hey." Sam smiles back. She opens the door further and Sam slips in. As soon as Felicity closes the door Sam pulls her into a heart-stopping kiss. Felicity's fingers entangle in Sam's hair as her body pressed against his. "I missed you." He whispers as she kisses him back.

"Come on." Felicity smiles as she leads him to her room. Sam's heart catches in his throat as he realizes what Felicity had planned for tonight. Sam takes slow and quiet breaths trying to relax.

Felicity smiles as she closes her bedroom door after them. She leans up and kisses Sam again, causing his entire mind to go blank. His only thought is how soft her lips are and how good they taste. It's in that second that Sam wants to taste every last bit of her. Sam slips his tongue in and explores her mouth only to find it is just as sweet her lips. Sam trails his kisses down her neck, her skin tasting like honey to a bee on his lips.

Felicity pushes Sam onto the bed, which he scoots back on. It's only then that Sam realizes Felicity is in a very flimsy set of pjs, which weren't hiding anythign. Sam's breath begins to race as Felicity slides onto the bed and kisses him again. His mind goes blank again and allows her to take over.

Her hands pulls his shirt over his head before going back to kissing him. "Felicity." He breathes out in a whisper as she kisses down his neck. "M-Maybe we should slow down." He says, his heart racing a million miles per hour.

"Just relax, Sam." She whispers before kissing him again. He moans into the kiss, loving the feeling of her so close to him. She unbuckles his jeans before moving down and taking his boots and socks off him. Once those are off and she pulls his jeans off.

"Fel-mm." She kisses him again, silencing his worries once more. Sam rolls them over and begins to kiss Felicity's neck.

"Sam." She breathes out as he pulls her shirt off her. "Matthew."

"What?" Sam's head shoots up as he looks at Felicity.

"Sam?"

"W-What did you say?" Sam stutters, fear sipping into him.

"Mattie?" Sam's heart races as he stares at Felicity.

"W-Why... H-How do you know that name?" Suddenly he's not in Felicity's bedroom but back in his father's old lab.

"Mattie, time of another round of the serum." Sam is back to being his scared kid self with his father walking towards him with the needle.

"N-No please." Sam whimpers.

"Don't worry, Mattie, it'll only hurt for a minute."

Sam bolts up screaming. All he sees in blackness. "Sam? Are you okay?" Sam is hyperventilating. His heart is racing and he can't get enough air in. "Sam, breath. Sam, you need to calm down and breath. You're having a panic attack." Sam recognizes the voice, but his startled mind can't comprehend it. He moves away from the voice with fear. "Sam."

"Le-Leave me alone." Sam says, his voice shaking and weazing from lack of air.

"Sam, it was just a dream. It's okay." The lights turn on and Sam sees Felicity standing looking at him with clear worry. "Sam, it's okay. It's just me."

"Felicity?"

"Shh. It's okay, just breathe." She crouches down in front of him and pulls him into her arms. "It was just a dream." Sam closes his eyes, feeling the tears starting in them.

"I thought I was back there." He whispers, his voice shaking.

"Back where?"

"Back with my father." Felicity holds Sam closer in her arms.

"You're not, Sam. You're here. With me. You're safe."


	16. Chapter 16

Sam rubs his hands down his face as Felicity puts a coffee down in front him. "I can't have caffeine." Sam mutters.

"Why not?" Felicity asks.

"It messes me up. I have ADHD." Sam says. "Caffeine messes with my pills." It's a lie Sam has told many times to too many people.

"Do you want to talk about your nightmare?"

"No." Felicity sits down beside him and rubs his back.

"Are you okay?"

"It's not the first time I had nightmares, but this one... This one felt way too real." Sam whispers.

"It's okay, Sam, just relax." Sam nods before turning and pulling Felicity into his arms. Sam needed Felicity's comfort. He needed her. He buries his face in her blonde waves and allows himself to relax. "Do you want me to make us some breakfast?"

"No, I just want to stay here with you." Sam whispers.

"Then how about we go lay down in the bed?" Sam nods and allows Felicity to lead him back to the bedroom. She goes to close the door, but he stops her.

"Can you just leave it open." It reminded him too much of his nightmare. Felicity nods and he lets go of her hand, moving and laying down on her bed. Felicity climbs in after him and pulls him towards her. Sam wraps his arms around her and buries his face in her neck.

Felicity begins humming a soft tune that causes Sam's eyelids to grow heavy. Before he knows it he's falling back to sleep with her humming in his ears.

That humming follows him all through his sleep before turning into a loud buzzing sound. He groans, rolling over and burying his face into the pillow as the buzzing got louder before becoming a shrilling ring. "It's Oliver." He hears Felicity say, but he ignores it. "Sam."

"I'm tired." He mutters.

"You've been sleeping all day, Sam." When Sam gets nightmares and he managed to go back to sleep there is no waking up until Sam is no longer tired. The nightmares put a lot of stress on him and wear him out. "Sam." Sam tries to block her out. "Sam-"

"Fine!" Sam snaps as he grabs the phone. "What?" He barks.

"Down boy." Oliver jokes. "I just talked to Laurel." Sam rolls his eyes as he runs his hand through his hair.

"So?"

"So Declan will still be executed unless we get a confession from Brodeur. We have to go out. I'm heading to Brodeur now. Meet me there."

"Ollie-"

"Sam, you had a nightmare. I can hear in your voice, but I need you on this. I need Velocity." Sam sighs as he runs a hand over his face.

"I'll see you in an hour."

"Meaning five seconds right?"

"Fifteen." Sam says before hanging up.

"You leaving?" Felicity asks. It's only then that Sam realized it's dark again and Felicity is in work clothes.

"How long have I been out?"

"Well, you were sleeping when I left for work and you were still sleeping when I got home, really late might I add, so a very long time."

"Nightmares tend to do that to me. Wears me out. I usually sleep the next day away that is if I can go back to sleep." He says before getting his boots on.

"Will you come back?" Sam glances at Felicity, his mind buzzing. He never had anyone in his life other than the Queens who meant something to him, but here is Felicity who is slowly becoming his entire world. He has only known her for a few weeks, but now he can't see himself being away from her.

"Yeah, I'll come back." Sam says as he kisses her. "Bye."

"Bye." He smiles at her once more before starting out the door. When he gets out of her apartment he zips off for Brodeur's.

"Jason Brodeur."

"What do you want?" Sam zips in hearing this.

"You're gonna confess that you arranged to have Peter Declan's wife murdered."

"What, so I can take his place in prison?"

"So you can avoid the death penalty." All eyes fall on Sam, who had changed into his outfit for Velocity on his way here.

"Except if I am dead, well, then, you've got no one to pin Camille's murder on. You need me to exonerate Peter Declan. Maybe you could try to force me to sign a confession or something." Sam gives Oliver a look of annoyance, causing Oliver to let his arrow go right into Brodeur's hand, causing him to scream in pain.

"That might be difficult." Oliver says.

"My hand." Sam fishes out his ringing phone from his pocket.

"Just answer it." Sam says as he pushes talk.

"What?"

"It's Ankov. It's going down, one hour."

"What's going down in an hour?" Oliver demands. "What?"

"Let's just say Peter Declan's execution it's getting moved up." Oliver punches Brodeur in the face.

"Laurel's at the prison isn't she." Oliver doesn't answer. "We'll never get in dressed like this."

"You could zip us in."

"The doors, are locked and trying to get past them is a bitch."

"I'll get a guard outfit on. You hit the lights." Sam sighs before zipping them to the prison. While Oliver works on getting in Sam zaps out the lights. Once that's done he swoops in to protect the guards. Laurel watches as Sam breaks the prisoner's neck.

"You okay?" The guard manages a nod before Sam turns with his speed and punches out the others. One goes to hit Sam, but Oliver fires an arrow before he can hit Sam.

"Let's go."

"I got this. You get them out." Sam orders. Sam fights the prisoners off as Oliver leads them out.

"Velocity!" Sam hears Oliver shout after a moment.

"Shit." He zips at full speed to see a prisoner going to rape Laurel.

Sam grabs the man and pins him against the wall, his fist glowing and zapping with electricity. "Bad move." He punches his fist in and grabs the man's heart, electrocuting it and causing the man to have a heart attack. Sam pulls his hand out and the man drops.

Sam turns to see Laurel staring at him in shock. "Laurel." Oliver says, but she moves away from the both of them as the swat moves in.

"We need to get out of here." Sam grabs Oliver's hand and zips them out before the swat can even blink. 

When they get home the next morning Oliver and Sam head inside and hears Dig is here. "I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted." Sam smiles.

"I bet." Oliver laughs as they walk into the living room. "You here for the bodyguard position?" Oliver asks. "Because the new guy just quit." Sam bites back a smile.

"No, I'm not. I'm here for the other position." Oliver holds out his hand. "Just to be clear I'm not signing on to be a sidekick."

"That's what Sam is for."

"Fuck off I've been a hero longer. If anything you're my sidekick." Sam says.

"You're right." Diggle continues. "Fighting for this city needs to be done and you're gonna do this with or without me."

"Yeah."

"But with me, there'll be fewer casualties including the both of you."

"Diggle, I'm not looking for anybody to save me." Oliver says.

"Maybe not... but you need someone just the same." Dig looks at Sam, who frowns knowing that look. It's the same look Robert Queen gave him when he asked him to be apart of their family. The look that says that Sam found safety with someone. "You are fighting a war, Queen, except you, have no idea what war does to you. How it scrapes off little pieces of your soul. And you need someone to remind you of who you are not this thing you're becoming." Dig holds out his hand and Sam shakes it before Oliver. Oliver shakes it after Sam.

"Oliver Queen." Sam turns and sees Police coming in.

"What is this?" Walter asks. "You can't just barge in here."

"Yeah? Well, I got a badge and a gun that say different."

"Ollie?" Sam questions with worry in his eyes.

"What the hell's going on?" Oliver asks.

"Oliver, what's happening?" Thea asks as they begin to arrest Oliver.

"You're under arrest on suspicion of obstruction of justice. Aggravated assault--"

"Walter, stop them!" Thea demands.

"Trespassing, acting as a vigilante..."

"Are you out of your mind?"

"And murder." Lance says as he grabs Oliver and leads him out as another cop reads his rights.

"You and I are going to need to fix this." Sam whispers to Dig. "Because there is no way we can do any of this without him."


	17. Chapter 17

"Okay, so, let's discuss our options." Sam says as he sits with Diggle in his room.

"You should be with your family." Diggle says.

"Dig, I can't help Ollie if I am with my parents."

"Fine, what do we do."

"Okay, so, this is what I'm thinking. Oliver and I think a lot alike. If I know him as well as I do then I know he'll request Laurel as his attorney."

"So what will that do?"

"Hopefully help prove he couldn't do this."

"But he is."

"Diggle, no one knows us. Not really. They know Oliver as some selfish frat boy and me as the damaged outcast. Just hearing that would you think of us as capable to hunt down villains?" Diggle looks at Sam for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, but that is why you've been safe for so long, Sam, because no one would think you or Oliver would do this, but that's not going to help Oliver know." Sam sighs as his phone dings.

"It's Moira. Oliver is going to court this morning. She asked me to please attend. Look, just figure out what we can do, Dig, text me if you come up with anything." Sam says as he writes his number down. "For now, I have to be the worried outcast who can't believe what's going on."

"I'll try to what I can on my end."

"Good. Honestly, I wish your first day with us was something better, but, hey, why not just dive into the craziness that comes with our life." Sam says before grabbing his jacket and zipping out.

He arrives and sits down by his Moira. "I'm sorry I just got here." He whispers.

"Where have you been?"

"I've been trying to process this. You know I'm bad at dealing with out of the bullshit."

"Language."

"Sorry. Look, I'm here now, okay? How's Ollie?"

"Stubborn. He refuses a lawyer without Laurel."

"Knew he would." Sam turns as the doors open up to Oliver walking in with the camera all on him.

"Docket 81-9-41. People versus Oliver Queen. Murder, aggravated assault," The man lists off Oliver's crimes as Oliver goes and sits down in his seat. "Assault with intent, menacing and trespassing." Sam leans back in his seat as the judge took the papers from the cop.

"Where's your attorney, Mr. Queen?" The judge asks.

"I'm representing myself, Judge."

"I'm not sure that's the wisest course, Mr. Queen."

"I think it is. I'm innocent."

"Then we'll consider that your plea."

"Please don't screw up, Ollie." Sam whispers under his breath.

"Thank you."

"Now, as your bail."

"Your Honor, Mr. Queen's family owns a pair of private jets and, well, on the subject of their wealth I would point out that there is virtually no bail amount that could guarantee that could guarantee his presence at trial." The lawyer for the people says.

"So then, I guess it's a good thing that the people's case is so circumstantial." Sam bites back a smile as Laurel walks in. He's glad that Oliver has a lawyer because he could only imagine how Oliver would do on his own. "Dinah Laurel Lance, your Honor." She says as she walks over to Oliver's seat. "I would like to file my appearance on behalf of the defendant." Oliver moves down and gives her his seat. "Mr. Queen's wealth should not deprive him of the right to be released on bail while under the presumption of innocence." Laurel tells the court as she sets her things down. 

"He is a flight risk." The other lawyer says.

"Then minimize the risk. The defendant is willing to submit to home confinement and electronic monitoring through the wearing of a UKG45 administrated ankle device." Sam's eyes widen in shock knowing just how bad that will be.

"No, he wouldn't." Oliver cuts in.

"Sold." The judge says.

"Your honor..."

"Bail is set at fifteen million. Five million dollars bond. Defendant to see probation for the fitting of a GPS device." The judge says as she closes the court.

~

Sam sits with Oliver later that day as he goes over yet another name on the list. A knock on the door, causes them to look up. "Yup?" Oliver calls. Diggle walks in.

"Thanks for coming, Dig, shut the door, please." Sam says, causing Diggle to walk in fully and shut the door behind himself. Oliver leans back in his chair as Diggle looks at the two of them.

"I guess it was just a matter of time before the police caught up with you."

"Except they didn't." Oliver cuts in.

"Oliver, they got you on video." Diggle says.

"I knew the security camera was there just like I knew the police would review the footage and arrest me. All part of the plan. Ow!" Oliver says as Sam hits him upside the head.

"Plan? Great job on filling me in."

"So you wanted to get arrested?" Diggle asks.

"Well, I returned to Starling City and a few days later, two vigilantes appear. Sooner or later, somebody was gonna make the connection and everyone knows Sam keeps nothing from me. If I got arrested it would make us both innocence."

"So what part of serving yourself up to the cops will help you avoid going to prison for the rest of your life."

"There's more to it."

"Well, there better be, for your sake and your brother's sake because your family is freaking out downstairs."

"Yeah, what happened to us being a team?"

"Oliver, your mother and your sister just got you and Sam back, and now you're gonna put them through a trial, maybe even worse? Don't you care?"

"Dig-" Sam buts in.

"Of course, I care." Oliver jumps in. "The mission comes first." Oliver turns the computer to Diggle.

"Who is he?" 

"Leo Mueller. German arms dealer." Sam tells him. "Oliver might have a plan."

"Suspected in the theft of a hundred M249 squad automatic weapons."

"Okay." Diggle nods.

"Last night he arrived in Starling City to sell the guns." Sam says.

"Oliver, Sam, don't you imagine there's enough trouble you're in this week than to go after this guy?"

"I imagine what would happen if a street gang got their hands on military grade hardware. I imagine our city's streets turned into a war zone." Oliver says.

"But you're under house arrest, Oliver which means you can't just go after this guy."

"Look, for now, I would just like you to shadow Mueller." Oliver tells him. "I would like you to track his movements. I wanna know where the buy is happening."

"And I think when the time comes you and I take him down." Sam says.

"Okay. And how am I suppose to track him?"

"Well, you know us billionaire vigilantes. We do love our toys." Oliver smiles, causing Sam to chuckle.

"I sure the hell do. Follow me." Sam says as he and Diggle head out for Headquarters. "Now, you only really been here when you got shot, but now you get to really look around." Sam says as he flips the lights on.

"Wow." Diggle says as he looks around.

"Just don't touch my goggles or I will cut your hands off. Those things are my prize possession." Sam watches as Diggle walks to the arrows that Oliver has set up. He touches the tip and right away pulls back.

"Ow."

"Yeah, those are not just for look." Sam says. "That side of the room is Oliver's things, this is mine. I don't use much. The only thing I use other than my own gift is throwing knives, which I assure you are just as sharp."

"This is incredible."

"We always come prepared. Now, come here." Sam says as he walks over to the desk and pulls out a small case. "This is how you'll keep track of him." Sam tells him as he opens the case to reveal three circler objects laying inside.

"Ooh." Dig says as he takes one out and hits the button. "Oh, that's sweet." Sam snickers at Dig.

"Like a kid in a candy store."

"Right, so, let's get this over with." Dig says, causing Sam to nod.

"Yup, get started, Diggle." Sam says as he hits him on the back before speeding out.

Sam arrives back home to everyone getting ready for the party. "Need any help?" Sam asks Thea who sits by the pool.

"No."

"Okay, then I'm going to go upstairs..."

"The vigilante has a partner." Thea looks over at Sam.

"Yeah, I know, the guy's extremely fast, right?"

"You're always with Oliver."

"Thea, you don't think Oliver and I are actually the vigilantes do you?"

"It would make sense."

"How? You know me. I can't stand people why would I risk my life for them. I mean, that might sound selfish, but I rather just spend the rest of my life hid up in my bedroom. It's how I always lived. No offense, but being a vigilante is so not my thing. Now, I have to go and call Felicity because she is going to have my head if I don't call her soon."

"Okay." Sam nods before heading into the house and calling Felicity.

"Sam." Sam sighs as he hears the worry in Felicity's voice.

"I'm fine. Oliver is fine."

"It's all over the news."

"I know it is."

"Is he really..."

"Felicity my brother is a selfish rich asshole. He doesn't have the mindset to be a vigilante." Sam tells her as he walks into his room.

"He could go to jail."

"I know."

"People in jail are not friendly."

"I know."

"People die in jail."

"Felicity, I know. I know how much trouble Oliver is in, but everything will work out, I promise. I have to get ready for Oliver's stupid party, but I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Oliver's having a party?"

"Like I said there is no way someone like him could possibly be the vigilante."

"Right."

"I got to go, but I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye." Sam hangs up and grabs his clothes before heading into the bathroom.


	18. Chapter 18

"Mueller's car has been parked in the warehouse district of the Glades for forty-five minutes." Oliver says as he, Diggle, and Sam stand in Oliver's room. Oliver hands his phone to Diggle to look at.

"Yeah, that's a good place for an arms deal." Diggle says as he hands it back. "Okay, since this is going down tonight, what do we do, drop a dime on Mueller with the cops?"

"I got something better." Sam smiles. "But I think you're not going to like it."

"What?" Diggle asks.

"The man in the hood and the speeding man. They're going to stop them."

"Sam, Oliver can't leave the house. Unless you can go as two people....."

"It doesn't have to be Oliver in the hood." Diggle shakes his head with a scoff.

"That's why you threw this ridiculous party? So you have 100 witnesses placing you here at the house while I'm supposed to be across town dressed as a vigilante?"

"We thought that it was gonna be good enough just for you to be seen in the hood. Sam can handle the brunt of it." Oliver says.

"All you have to do is shoot a few arrows, be there, and I'll take care of the guy."

"I didn't count on Mueller showing up and I didn't count on the possibility that the Glades could be flooded with machine guns." Oliver defends. "Look, I promise, it was never my intention to put you in harm's way."

"Oliver, I didn't think joining yours and Sam's crusade was ever gonna be risk-free." Dig says. "I just don't like being played."

"Dig-" Sam starts, but he holds up a hand stopping Sam from continuing.

"Now you might have gotten used to lying to everyone else in your life, but I'm the one guy you don't lie to." 

"You're right. I'm sorry." Oliver tells him. Dig walks around him, causing Sam to look at Oliver with worry. "So am I going to jail?"

"No, man. I got to stop an arms deal. Come on, Sam."

"We'll be back, Oliver." Sam tells him as he and Dig walked out. "Oh, by the way, Dig, you're going to hate me more for this."

"What?" Dig asks as Sam grabs Diggle and zips him off to their headquarters." He lets go of Dig once there and gets ready. "Never ever do that again." Dig says as he grows green.

"You get used to it." Sam says dismissively.

"I think I'm going to puke."

"Like I said, you get used to it. Took Oliver a month for the nausea to stop. Come on, suit up, we have to go."

"Fine." He says as he gets changed into Oliver's outfit.

"Here, take this. It's how Oliver and I communicate to each other." Sam hands Diggle an earpiece, which Diggle puts in his ear.

"What about you?"

"Got my own." He says as he holds his up and slips it into his ear. "Grab some arrows and the bow and quiver. I'll show you some other toys to play with."

"Cool."

"Yup, but, just so you know, the speeding thing, we are doing that again, Dig. It's the fastest way to the deal and I want to get this done and over with. You ready?" Dig looks up from the arrows with a pale face.

"No."

"Too bad." Sam grabs Diggle and once again they zip off. Sam drops Dig off a few blocks away in order to regain his sense of place before going into battle.

Sam walks to an outlet and focused on drawing the power out of it until the entire warehouse goes dark. "Bingo. Your turn, Dig."

"We need to move, now!" Mueller shouts.

"Let's go!"

"Get out of here!" Sam watches as Diggle runs at one of the men and begins fighting them. Sam moves and goes to one of the gang members and knocking their heads against the car, succeeding in knocking them out. He takes out another as Diggle finishes with the one he's on. The others drive off quickly.

"What about them?" Diggle asks.

"When the police let Ollie go then he and I will handle it, but for now...." Sam turns to Diggle. "You did go. We make a good team." He holds up a hand, causing Diggle to smile and high five. "Ready to go back?"

"Can't we take a cab?"

"Nope, that would leave breadcrumbs. We need to leave none."

"I can walk."

"Nope, breadcrumbs. The more you wait on it the more nervous you get. Just remember to breath. Your mind is what is making you sick. You don't relax. You think you're going to fast for it to be normal."

"I am."

"Open your eyes when we run. You'll see it as if we're not even moving that quickly. Everything passes us slowly when we run. It looks normal. The only way you can tell how fast we're going is by the wind it creates or my goggles which tells me every minute what my speed is at. Now, come on, Dig." He grabs Diggle's arm and speeds off once more.

~

A few days later, once everything was taken care of, Sam and Oliver are in the headquarters with Diggle. "So you lied to her." Diggle says as Sam rearranges his things.

"So you lied to her. Or maybe you just gave her a version of the truth." Diggle says as Oliver carries his box to a table.

"I told her what she needed to hear, Diggle. She was too close."

"Sad thing is, I think you actually believe that. I think things didn't go down exactly as you planned. You didn't count on so many people having questions, doubting you. You didn't think about what happens when you lie. Especially when you lie to the ones you love the most. When you were stuck on that island, plotting your grand plan to save the city, I don't think you stopped to consider the effect it would have on the people in your life. Or how it might hurt them."

"You're wrong." Oliver says. "I think about it all the time. And just to be clear, not being able to tell my family the truth..."

"It doesn't hurt anyone worse than it does to us." Sam finishes for him.

"Where are you going?" Diggle asks as Oliver grabs his outfit.

"Mueller still has to sell those guns and I have to stop him. Come on, Sam."

"Oliver."

"He had his chance."


End file.
